National Anthem
by EchoFallsFromGrace
Summary: Foxxay 1926 AU. There's a war brewing.
1. National Anthem

**1926 AU**

**Rated T**

**Word Count: 12,192**

"The city won't need you tonight, darling. Come away from the window." Cordelia Goode whispered through the patter of the rain. She tugged on Misty Day's shawl, begging her away from the glass panes. On nights like these, she was restless. It was too dark to see anything through the thick foliage, too noisy outside to hear anyone coming through. She felt blind all over again.

And she didn't want to lose Misty.

Not again.

The swamp queen turned away and walked into Cordelia's arms, a small smile on her angelic face. She interlocked her fingers with the alchemist's lithe ones, leaning into the woman's body. "I wish ya wouldn't worry so much." She breathed out.

"But I do anyway. And I always will."

"There's no need, Delia." Misty shook her head, her hair wild in the heat and moisture of the surrounding swamps, but she didn't argue any more.  
She dragged the older blonde to the middle of the room, hands around her waist and they stood there, dancing in place to the victrola playing in the corner. It was the only thing that soothed them both when the wind howled.

"Where are Kyle and Zoe?" Misty asked quietly, eyes closing against Delia's touch.

"I sent them home for the weekend. You know how Kyle hates the storms." Cordelia said softly, her fingers anchoring in the girl's hair.  
She froze as thunder cracked outside, and the swamp witch laughed breathlessly, almost nervously, against her neck.

"Hey, I got ya."

Cordelia nodded softly.

The thunder reminded her of her mother. It reminded them both of the commanding blond, the lightning as striking as her words. And with lightning and thunder the witch came. It was almost normal now for Cordelia to jump out of fright or cower by the door when it rang out over their heads, as it flashed outside, throwing shadows across the wooden floors. Fiona Goode wasn't one to be messed with, and they'd both managed to piss her off.

It stormed too often for Cordelia's taste.

"I hate this."

"The storm?" Misty asked softly. "Or the waitin'?"

"Both." Cordelia hid in Misty's neck. "Neither." The necromancer tightened her grip on the older blonde. "I'll be honest. I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Everything." The alchemist whispered. "Being found. Being burned."

The swamp queen raised the woman's chin up so that her blue-green eyes met black. "I can't die. And as long as you're with me, neither will ya."

"You sound extremely sure of yourself, Misty Day."

"I've come back before to save ya. And I will again. However many times it takes."

Cordelia gave her a watery smile and Misty reached down between them to bring the woman's knuckles to her lips, kissing her skin softly. It was marred by ink, blurred where she'd written "RISE" on her fingers, like she did most mornings, trying her best to imitate Misty's own tattoos. The alchemist sighed as she shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips.

The first time Cordelia'd written those words on her knuckles, it'd surprised even her. She'd woken up early and sat up, and seeing Misty sleeping besides her, both their skins marred by bruises and burn marks and memories from the night before, she'd reached for her pen. Delicately, with her tongue sticking out in concentration, she'd written the letters on her fingers, doing her best to copy the font on Misty's permanent ink. She'd laid back down, her front to Misty's back as she let the marks dry, and as soon as they were, the black tendrils leaking into her skin, she'd interlocked her fingers with Misty's and dragged her closer.

Misty had practically broken down seeing them that morning. Soft kisses and arms wrapped tightly around waists weren't enough. She'd whispered an "I love you", her first, into Cordelia's ear as she squeezed her hands, blurring the ink.

Cordelia flinched, her eyes slamming shut as another crack of thunder rang overhead.

Misty raised her chin. "None of that, Delia, none of the flinchin', you're safe." She passed a hand through the older woman's hair. "Remember? You're safe, you've got a piece of me with ya." Her fingers pulled out a red hawk feather from between Cordelia's strands, dark against the blonde, attached with a bow and a few beads. "You've got me with ya, my darlin' firebird."

Cordelia nodded furiously, tears threatening to spill. Misty leaned in and kissed her softly, the ghost of a touch, as the alchemist's fingers wrapped tightly around her shawl, as another flash of lightning illuminated them.

The rain stopped falling in the middle of the night, but Cordelia didn't hear it, wrapped up in Misty as she was.

They awoke with the dawn, water dripping from the gutters, Misty bleary eyed and Cordelia wary, as she always was. The swamp queen dragged the alchemist to her, walking backwards until she felt the door give way behind her. She sat down, tucking her legs beneath her, and leaned back against Cordelia's knee. The older woman always stood.

They watched the sun rise over the swamps, Misty holding her hand in the air so that Cordelia could interlock their fingers. A ritual they'd grown to cherish ever since Misty'd figuratively brought Cordelia back to life.

After the swamp witch's burning, after Misty had saved her from between Fiona's clutches, before the temporary tattoos, the older blonde had been reluctant to step outside. She'd been afraid of her own shadow. She'd become a shut in in the wide open spaces of the swamp. She stayed up worrying late into the night and didn't wake until noon, and Misty'd stayed with her every morning, even though she herself loved watching the marshes wake.

But one day, not long ago, she'd woken Cordelia at the first sign of the sun and kissed her and told her everything would be alright as she pulled the woman to the door. Cordelia had been shaking all over, begging Misty, who would hear none of it. The alchemist had stayed at the doorway, fingers grasping the wood so hard the younger witch thought it would splinter beneath her. And she'd sat down and lifted her hands to the sky, and Cordelia had taken the hint, taken her hands.

And they'd watched the sun come up above the horizon. And Cordelia's breathing had settled down and her tears had stopped and after the swamps were truly awake, an hour later, she'd leaned down and placed a soft kiss in her lover's wild curls.

Misty stood and walked back inside, headed for the victrola in the corner of the room. She lifted the needle and put it in place, and music lifted through the shack. Cordelia smiled at her from the doorway.  
Before Cordelia, Misty hadn't known what the device was. And now, she listened to as much classical music as she could. And her favorite would always be the ballet, _The Firebird_. The first she'd listened to. The first they'd listened to together.

It hadn't been long after Misty had met the coven, the woman still under her mother's care, still at the academy that now sent shivers down both their spines. Not long before they ran from the horrors. Cordelia'd tugged Misty up to her room and they'd sat down, and she'd shown the younger woman her discs, the phonograph. The swamp witch had an affinity for the finer things in life. That was months ago, what seemed like years to Misty now.

She hummed past Cordelia, throwing her a wink, and the older blonde just blushed. The alchemist walked to Misty's side, hating being further from her than she needed to be.

"Get on the bed."

"Oh, are we-?"

"Yeah, I want to get it finished." Misty glanced up at her as she rustled through her cabinets. She stood up straight momentarily to give Cordelia a long kiss and a shove towards the corner of the room. Cordelia did as she was told and sat down on the mattress, her knees to her chest.

Misty made her way over and nudged the older woman. "Lie down, come on."

She hovered above Cordelia, a small grin on her face, and pulled the woman's shirt up and over her head, leaving her bare chested in the heat. She kissed a collarbone and settled down on her stomach, between Delia's legs.

Her fingers traced the beginnings of a tattoo she'd begun along Cordelia's ribs. The blonde had begged her, and she'd obliged. She'd been working on it for days with breaks at a time, the pain sometimes too much for Cordelia's bones. She'd only gotten a few letters done.

Cordelia watched her trace her contours and smiled softly. "My mother will kill me if she sees this."

"Isn't that why you're gettin' it?" Misty looked up. "To spite her?"

"In part." The alchemist closed her eyes. "I want to be closer to you."

Misty kissed her burning skin and reached for the needle she'd dropped between the sheets, the ink bottle not far.

Cordelia hissed against her as she began, but her tolerance grew and soon she was quiet, muscles jumping underneath Misty's touches.

The swamp queen worked diligently for the better part of an hour, living off of Cordelia's breathing. She'd learned, as a necromancer, to cherish every taken breath, and she glanced up regularly, every time the other blonde gasped.

She placed a wet cloth against Cordelia's reddening skin and looked up into dark eyes. "That's it for today."

"You sure?"

"I want ya to be able to move around, Delia."

The alchemist nodded, admiring the new ink on her unfinished markings. She pulled Misty back to her as the necromancer stood and kissed her deeply, her fingers splaying at the dip in the girl's back. She intended to go further, but she let out a gasp as her tender skin burned against her bones.

Misty laughed against her cheek. "Let me get ya some cold water and a cloth. I'll be right back."

"I can do it myself."

The swamp queen quirked an eyebrow at her lover, but grabbed her shawl and an empty bucket anyway. She winked at Cordelia before opening the shack's door and stepping outside. She left the door ajar, not severing the connection between her and the older woman.

Cordelia settled back down against the pillows and traced the outline of her added letters, whispering the intended words into the Louisiana heat. She'd chosen them carefully with Misty hovering above her one night, breathing into her ear as the swamp witch sucked on her pulse point.

She glanced sideways as Misty came back in, a small smile on her lips as she noticed that the woman was humming again. From where she was, it sounded like _Swan Lake_, Misty's favorite ballet to dance to.

"It's gonna storm again." The swamp queen said quietly, making her way over to the older blonde. She glanced back behind her, a frown on her face. "Sometime tonight, I'm guessin'."

"So you won't have to go out, right?" Cordelia whispered.

"I'm goin' to have to, at one point. There's somethin' brewin'. I can feel it in my bones." Misty shook her head and kneeled by the bed. "And ya know how it gets if I stay away too long, if I don't listen to my gut."

"Yeah, but-"

The necromancer was blunt. "No, Delia." She dipped a clean cloth into the cold water and pressed it gently against the alchemist's bleeding skin. There was an long pause as Cordelia's black eyes bore into her.

"Will ya want to come with me?"

The older blonde shifted beneath her touch. "I hate leaving the swamps." She took a breath. "But yes."

Misty smiled warmly and kissed the pads of her fingers. "Good."

They both turned their heads as there was a peck at the window, and Cordelia tensed underneath Misty's hands.

"Hey, it's okay." The wild blonde kissed her, stood up, and opened the glass panes. A dove flew in, and they both gasped. It was rather unusual to see the bird in the swamps, but they both knew what it meant.

Cordelia sat up on her elbows. "Another one?"

"Yeah." Misty answered.. "From Myrtle, like usual."

"Throw it away."

"I told ya somethin' was brewin'. This might be it." The necromancer protested.

Cordelia scowled. "Her letters never bring anything good. Throw it away, Misty."  
"Not this time, Delia."

The swamp queen's fingers crept underneath the envelope's lip despite her lover's earlier qualms. She ripped out the salmon colored letter and her blue-green eyes scanned the letter.

"What does it say?"

Misty glanced up, alarmed.

"She's invited us to the house. Tomorrow."

OOOOOOooooooOOOOOO

The glass shattered against the chimney's brick wall, the deep amber liquid inside dripping into the fire and flaring up into the room, blasting off heat momentarily.

"Where the _hell_ is he?" The alluring blonde paced the salon angrily, heels digging into the rug. "And will you _stop_ playing? Dammit man!"

Across the room, in a dark corner, an older gentleman sighed as he detached his lips from his saxophone. He glanced sideways at the blonde, his lips curling up into a sneer. "You yelling won't change anything, baby doll." He shrugged as his fingers fiddled with his instrument. "He'll be here."

"That's what you said three hours ago." She snapped back. She glanced over her shoulder. "Drink."

"If you stopped smashing them-"

"Did I ask for an opinion? Get me a goddamned drink, you idiot."

The young dirty blonde scowled at her, but did as she was told, moving to the bar by the door. The redhead sprawled on the couch smirked at her over the edge, her legs crossed at the ankles.

Fiona Goode's grimace deepened and she stabbed a finger at the girl on the sofa. "If I were you Kaylee, I'd wipe that smug grin off your face, or you'll be wiping the brandy off the goddamn walls with a goddamn toothbrush." The girl raised her hands in surrender.

"Madison. My drink."

The blonde flicked her wrist easily, and the glass went flying into Fiona's hand as she sat back down, across from the redhead.

Fiona drank deeply, the liquid shining in the fire's light. It reflected just as deeply in Kaylee's eyes as she watched avidly. Both her and Madison winced as she set the glass down rather harshly on the coffee table.

"I'm giving him ten minutes." The woman said loudly. "And then I kill him."

"If he comes back." The man in the corner pointed out, raising an eyebrow at her.

"He'll wish he was dead."

Madison raised her voice as she glanced over her nails. "I don't see why we keep him around. The man's mute."

"Because that idiot of a redhead believes him." Fiona snapped.

"It's easy for him to lie, he doesn't have a tongue." Kaylee added. "You, on the other hand, would do a shit job."

Madison opened her mouth to retort, but the axeman cast her a warning glance as he pointed at Fiona's back. The young witch scowled and turned away.

The academy's doorbell rang throughout the white halls, empty as they were this early in the morning. Fiona raised an eyebrow at the salon's inhabitants, waiting. But Kaylee ignored her dark hazel eyes and Madison looked away, suddenly whistling.

Angrily, the Supreme barked. "Hank!"

From across the academy's first floor, there was the sound of breaking glass and a loud "_fuck_". They watched as the man trudged into the salon, wiping a now bloody towel against his hands.

"What?" He snapped.

Fiona waved her hand. "Hank, the doorbell. It rang."

"I'm not your dog."

"I'd get the door, if I was you, fellow." The axeman said quietly from his corner. Hank glanced at him darkly and did as he was told, albeit noisily.

The Supreme took another greedy gulp from her tumbler.

He came back moments later, a letter between his hands.

"The mailman? Already?" Madison raised her eyes to the clock above the mantelpiece.

"It was attached to a dove."

"Have you been drinking again?" Kaylee asked sweetly.

Fiona froze. "A dove, you say?"

"Yeah, you know, a bird? It flaps and coos and shits?" Hank snapped.

"Leave the letter, and get back to cleaning glasses." The alluring blonde commanded. He threw the envelope at her feet as he sneered and slammed the doors shut behind him.

Madison flicked it to her with a wave of her fingers, her eyes shining. "Maybe it's the rest of my paycheck."

The older man frowned. "Paycheck?"

"Yeah, for that baby I lifted out of that window in Los Angeles. The man said he'd send me the other half by mail, once he was done cutting up the brat."

"Oh." Kaylee grimaced.

"I agree with Kaylee." The axeman sighed. "A proper man does the entire job by himself. He doesn't get a girl to help, even if she's a witch."

"It ain't from a baby killer, you nitwits." Fiona growled, grabbing the letter from in between Madison's fingers. "This is from Myrtle Snow."

"The old bat?"

"I wonder what she wants." The blonde smirked, ripping at the letter. Her face turned to stone as her hazel eyes scanned the paper. She looked up, her grin had fallen off her face.

"Baby doll?" The axeman stood, and gingerly place his hand on her hip. "Everything okay?"

"The bitch invited herself here for a meeting."

OOOOOOooooooOOOOOO

"Where you going?

Queenie's steps faltered, and she turned slowly to face the voodoo queen standing in her shop's doorway. "Back to the academy. They'll be looking for me."

Marie Laveau sneered at the girl on the sidewalk and crossed her arms. "Girl, you're gonna have to pick a side. You can't be flirting back and forth across town all the time. Especially to a white neighborhood."

"You wanted me to spy for you."

"Are you spying for me, or are you spying for them?" The immortal asked, raising her eyebrows. "Let's be honest, Queenie. You're shifty."

"I know where my loyalties lie."

"Then where do they lie?" Marie waited a beat before laughing coldly. "You don't even know how to answer. And you wonder why I don't let you in on the meetings."

Queenie scowled. "I know where my loyalties lie." She repeated. "With you. They don't give a fuck about me."

"Rightly so. You black, they white." Marie stepped up to her. "They have the supreme, divine right!" She barked out a laugh.

The black girl shifted her weight from foot to foot awkwardly. "They could teach us something."

"They're not interested in _teaching_ you, Queenie. They're trying to make you a slave, all over again."

"I can get secrets out of them. Learn what the others are doing."

"The others."

"Yeah, the Lalauries and the Ramseys. The witch hunters, the racists, and the religious nuts alike." Queenie explained.

"Girl, you know nothing. I don't need a white cracker Supreme to tell me what's going on in my backyard." Marie laughed again, cold as it rung through the almost empty street.

Queenie faltered. "What?"

"I got," Marie's next words came out mockingly. "-_Madame_ Delphine Lalaurie upstairs, locked up, like the crazy bitch she is."

"You _what-_?"

"She came round the other night while you were out with your sister witches, disrespecting me, talking shit." Marie crossed her arms. "I took care of her. She's sitting up up in a cell, which is better than what she deserves."

Queenie was sputtering. "B-but what did the family say?"

"They've threatened. But they ain't gonna be a problem anytime soon. I have power. They're mortals."

"Do _they_ know?"

"Your precious Coven?" Marie raised an eyebrow. "I guess they have. Myrtle Snow's sent a letter over, calling for a _meeting_ at the academy."

The black girl frowned. "Myrtle? She's been exiled. Fiona hates her, how did she call for a meeting at the _academy_?"

"I don't know, and I don't wanna know." Marie smirked. "But I'm gonna go, just to see it all come crashing down."

OOOOOOooooooOOOOOO

"This is a big mess, you have to admit." Luke Ramsey sighed in his hands. "I can't believe it."

"You're going to have to, young man." The warlock on the other side of the couch raised his eyebrow. "Welcome to the Coven."

"Oh, Quentin. I do wish you wouldn't call us that." Myrtle Snow shook her head. "We are far from the evil, evil witches that inhabit our high esteemed academy, now but a shell of its former self." She sighed as she reached for her cup of tea. "I had such high hopes for the school, if only Fiona had stayed away."

"Yes, well," Pembroke sniffed from the corner. "She didn't, and that's that. I don't see why you sent out those letters."

"To find out what happened to dear Spalding, Pembroke." Quentin said from the sofa. He let out a shaky laugh. "The man was found dead, for god's sake."

"And most likely, the Coven has something to do with it." Myrtle added. "Fiona would make an unnecessary move. Especially against the ones close to her."

From her seat by Luke, Nan spoke up. "You think she found out that he spied for us?"

Myrtle nodded as she took a sip from her porcelain cup.

"This is bad. This is real bad."

"Luke, please, control yourself." The redhead sighed as the boy began to pace the room.

Pembroke sniffed again. "I'm sure you knew the risks when you left your family for ours."

The young man glanced at Nan, and nodded shakily. "Yes, of course, but I didn't think someone would get murdered. Someone so close."

The room fell quiet as his words fell heavy over its inhabitants. He walked to the young witch's side and took her fingers in his. The clairvoyant glanced up and gave him a small smile before turning to the redhead, the exiled witch.

"Do you think they'll come?" Nan asked quietly.

"I have no idea." Myrtle Snow replied.

**PART II**

It was raining again, like Misty had said it would, but Cordelia didn't really care. She'd sit as long as she had to, waiting for the necromancer to come home. Like she did every night.

Though she'd told the wild blonde she'd go with her, Misty herself had told her to stay in, knowing she felt uncomfortable, unsafe, when she went anywhere past the familiar foliage. So she'd left Delia to sit on the porch's steps with a kiss and a quick nibble on her earlobe.

And it'd begun to rain not late after that.

Cordelia chewed on a piece of her hair as she counted the seconds and the minutes and the hours, sitting in the darkness. Misty'd left at midnight. It was almost four. It wouldn't take long for her to come home, she always came back before the sun rose.

The necromancer took these little trips three, four times a week. She went into the city and brought animals back to life, people who hadn't deserved it.

And most importantly, she fixed what the coven did, in the safety of her own shadows. It wasn't unknown that the group of witches Cordelia had once called home were a murderous bunch. To make money, they'd do anything. They'd already turned the academy into a speakeasy, and they were adept at finding odd jobs that only witches could do. They lit fires, confused people, helped murderers and thieves escape from the police.

They killed.

Cordelia couldn't be more proud of her blonde savior, trying her hardest to fix their mistakes, going against the set system.

And she couldn't stop herself from worrying. The coven had a target on their backs.

She glanced down as something nudged her foot, and she bit back a breath. Clyde. Misty's favorite alligator. A spry young thing that hissed at Cordelia whenever she got near him. But tonight, he gazed back at her with calm yellow eyes as he felt her worry in his scales. He slowly climbed up the steps, water dripping off his sides, and settled down besides her. A first for both of them.

The swamp queen had told the alchemist so many times that she could understand the reptile, and other animals around her, that it came with the powers. She swore up and down that she'd taught him English and that he had quite the dramatic flair.

And as ludicrous as it sounded, she believed Misty. Things that had happened in private between the gator and Cordelia suddenly came out of the necromancer's mouth. And the older blonde had actually started _talking_ to Clyde on lonely nights, when her lover was out. She was now sure he whispered everything back to the cajun.

She lifted her fingers and traced the spines on his back, and he didn't snap at her, something she'd half-expected. With a shy smile, she fully placed her palm on his back, and he closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep as it poured a few feet away.

He left half an hour later, flicking his rough tail against her knee.  
And she spied her wild blonde coming in through the foliage, boots sinking into the muddy ground, her smile growing as she herself noticed Delia, blond and pale against the rough wood of their home. The necromancer dropped her shoulder bag on the steps and took Cordelia's outstretched hands into hers, bringing her close.

Cordelia breathed her in. She smelled like running water and hot summers. "You're home."

"Of course." Misty kissed her jawline softly. "I always come home." She smiled and turned the alchemist around, pushing her through the door, hands reaching for the tie at the top of the older blonde's shirt.

"How did it go?" Cordelia asked quietly, eyes slipping shut.

"Well." The wild blonde answered softly. "It was fine." _They didn't do anything this time 'round._ The unspoken words hung heavy in the air. Cordelia pulled away to turn in Misty's arms, and gasped out.

"What?"

The older blonde grimaced. "You're tracking mud through my house, Misty Day. Get out and take those shoes off."

"Your house?" Misty's blue-green eyes twinkled as she grinned, watching Cordelia blush to her roots. She kissed her softly on the cheek before sauntering outside, hopping as she struggled with her long boots.  
She walked back inside, finding the older blonde already settled on her side of their bed. She gave her a wry smile and laid down across from her, settling for a chaste kiss and interlocked fingers.

They laid there, gazing into each other's eyes, silence sacred to them both. Something they did often. They sat there, and they watched one another. It was enough for them.

Misty felt her eyelids droop, the back of her eyes burning as she struggled to stay awake. Cordelia laughed breathlessly in her ear and nudged her. Taking the hint, the necromancer turned around, letting the older blonde mold her front to her back. Even though she was the taller, the stronger of the two, she loved feeling Cordelia's heart reverberate through her back. She found comfort in the soft, steady beatings. She fell asleep with Cordelia's arms wrapped around her waist, her own fingers around her wrists, keeping her close.

They awoke for the sunrise, Misty watching it, leaned in against Cordelia's knees, her own to her chest. And as the last of the morning birds tweeted, the alchemist glanced down at her.

"You need a bath."

"Pardon?"

"The storm wrecked havoc on you." Cordelia cocked her head to the side. "And as much as I love the earthy smell, it gets old really quick."

Misty scowled up at her. "Are ya callin' me dirty?"

"I'll get the water."

As Cordelia drew the bath, Misty unabashedly threw her clothes into a corner of the room, laundry for later. She stood behind the older woman, playing with the soft skin that showed every time her shirt rode up.

Cordelia nudged her off, but didn't complain as the touches returned. Misty wrapped her in a hug, her hand palming her unfinished tattoo.

"Ya should get in with me."

"No thanks."

"Come on, Delia." The swamp queen drawled out her name, purring against Cordelia's neck. "Let me get ya wet."

"_Misty_."

The necromancer laughed despite her lover's stern tone, kissed her cheek, and climbed into the tub. She dipped her head underneath the water and came back up, tresses wet and falling down her back. Delia reached for the soap and began washing her hair. The wild blonde, tamed, hummed at the feeling of the woman's nails against her scalp.

Cordelia's voice was soft. "Are we really going? To the academy?"

"If Myrtle's askin' for a meetin', it must be important."

"I don't want to go back there."

Misty turned slightly to gaze up into worried black eyes. "I know. Ya don't have to come."

"She expects me there."

"Ya don't have to come." Misty repeated. Cordelia shook her head, but didn't reply.

She helped the swamp queen out of the bath and toweled her off, her touches lingering on the girl's wet skin.

Misty tipped the woman's head back to gaze into her eyes. "Why would ya make me take a bath now, when today's our gardenin' day?"

"So I can take one with you tonight."

"I knew it."

Cordelia smiled and kissed her, her fingers running up the younger blonde's back.

After getting dressed and throwing on a sun hat, Misty dragged Delia out to their garden by her hips. They puttered around each other, tending to the plants that had suffered during the night, fixing them. Cordelia breathed spells she'd learned long ago, and Misty breathed life. They worked in considerable silence until the sun was high in the sky, until

Misty finally turned to watch Cordelia, question in her blue-green eyes.  
"Show me?"

The alchemist turned and raised an eyebrow. "Show you what?"

"The names of the plants. In Latin."

Cordelia blushed and sidled up to Misty's side. She pointed down at a blue flower, her gaze on Misty's as the swamp witch looked down. "_Iris giganticaerulea_."

"_Iris_," The younger blonde paused. "_Gigantictarantula_."

The woman laughed. "Not exactly." Misty frowned, and Cordelia kissed her worries away under the noon sun. Misty, using her strength, easily picked the woman up and plaqued her against a tree, the alchemist's legs wrapping around her waist as she gasped out deliciously.

It took a few moments for Cordelia to pull her mouth away from the necromancer's. "Mist-the plants. First. Gardening."

The swamp queen groaned into her neck, and let her fall back to her feet, her forehead resting on the bark by Cordelia's head as the older blonde kissed her jawline.

"We need to do this now, Misty. If we don't, we'll lose them." Cordelia whispered into her ear. Misty nodded weakly.

With insurmountable self-control, she edged off Cordelia and turned back to pick up her watering can, knuckles white. The alchemist laughed silently behind her and bent down to breathe spells into a dying vine.

She felt Misty's burning gaze on her body, but said nothing.

The gaze reminder her so much of the first time she'd met Misty. She'd been blind then, an unfortunate accident during one of the academy's late night parties, drunks piling through the speakeasy's door like moths to a flame. Someone had bumped into her as she crossed to the staircase, and heavy proof alcohol had gone flying and she'd received it all in her eyes. It'd stripped away at her eyeball, and a few days later, she was blind, her eyes scarred. She could barely blink without it feeling rough.

And Misty had helped. With Myrtle's permission (when Myrtle had been around anyway, before the burning and her exile), they'd brought her sight back, through various spells and her life giving powers. And the first time she'd truly seen the necromancer, Cordelia had fallen in love with the same gaze she was giving her now.

Misty breathed out shakily, and she glanced up, alarmed. "What is it?"

"Clyde's come back. If ya want to go in, I'll distract him."

Cordelia turned to eye the alligator sidling up to them. He flicked his tail at her as he watched her, but said nothing. She shrugged. "I think we're good."

"But-I thought-" Misty's eyes darted between the two. "He doesn't like ya." She added lamely.

"Maybe not, but we have something in common." Cordelia looked up.

The necromancer frowned. "What's that?"

"We both love you."

Misty grinned, the sun shining off her hair, and Cordelia couldn't help but grin back. The wild blonde walked to her side and pinched her hip, her lips against her cheek.

"We can save the plants later."

"You're so bad, Misty Day."

"Only for ya, baby." The necromancer smirked and began to sway to an imaginary dance with the alchemist, who blushed and tried her best to stifle a giggle. The wild blonde buried her face in straight locks. "Hmm, let's work up a sweat."

"I've got enough of the sun to do that." Cordelia whispered back. "But I wouldn't object to that bath now."

Misty took a step back to gaze into black eyes. "You're coming."

"I have to, Mist."

"Cordelia-"

"No, don't 'Cordelia' me." The alchemist's fists landed on Misty's chest. "I have to. Even though I ignore it, even though I try to forget, that was my family. My home."

"-Was?"

Cordelia smiled sadly as she looked up into her swamp queen's blue-green eyes. "Yeah. Was."

Misty's hands wrapped around the woman's neck as she pulled her closer into a searing kiss. One that didn't break until they were well into their home, the door closed behind them and Cordelia pushed up against it. She scrambled to find the ties on the woman's skirt.

"Bath, Misty, bath first."

The wild blonde's voice was tight, a whine rumbling through her throat. "_Delia_."

"I swear to you, yes," Cordelia's voice was scattered in her ear. "But bath. First-" She let out a high pitched gasp as Misty's hand rubbed up against her, her fingers grabbing onto the girl's shoulders, nails digging deep.

"Ya sure ya can hold out that long?"

OOOOOOooooooOOOOOO

Misty's blue-green eyes were fixed on the blazon above the academy's doorway, her teeth gritted, jaw tight, knuckles white.

It wasn't a simple sigil, like hers, like the one she'd adopted. It was dark red and it had lions prancing and black crowns and the words had been etched into the white wood in swirly letters, complicated. She glanced sideways at Cordelia, who also had gazed up and now stared with such hatred that Misty was surprised the academy didn't catch on fire, didn't shake to its foundations.

Her question was blunt. "What does it mean."

Cordelia opened her mouth to answer, black eyes on the coat of arms, but she was interrupted by a dark timber. She shuddered visibly at the voice.

"It means 'move on'. Something you can't seem to do in this life. Or the next."

"Fiona."

"Hello, Cordelia. It's been a while." The Supreme smirked as she dragged on her cigarette, standing in the doorway. "I see you're still trailing your swamp gator by the tail. Or is that, ball and chain?"

"_You're_ my ball and chain." The alchemist snapped, her voice threatening to break. "Let us through, we're not here for you. We're here for Myrtle."

"So I'd guessed." The Supreme raised an eyes to look up at her emblem, the words **Salem Has Burned** written in the wood, and she finally tilted her body sideways, barely enough room for them to move past her. "The girls will be happy to see you." Her eyes raked over Misty with disdain. "I'd wish you'd left your dog back at your bogs."

"Is it dog, or gator? Choose." Misty snapped as she thundered past her. Cordelia shot her a pleading look over her shoulder.

_She's not worth it, Misty._

The necromancer blinked at her, understanding, but the scowl on her otherwise angelic face didn't leave.

Fiona moved past them, smoldering cigarette in hand. "Oh look, Hank, you've come out of your rabbit hole."

"I didn't come out for you, I came out for Cordelia. Madison saw you from upstairs." He added to the alchemist.

Misty stepped up and pushed Cordelia behind her back, her hands balling into fists.

"Would you look at that, the whole family's reunited. The husband. The wife." Fiona smirked as her hazel eyes landed on Misty. "The mistress."

Hank ignored the quip. "Move aside, girl. This is my wife."

Misty glanced over her shoulder at Cordelia, and seeing no pity, no mercy, there, turned back to spit in his face.

Hank's face contorted with rage. He raised his fist to strike at the swamp witch, but the wild blonde easily moved away and back handed him to the floor. She yanked his head up by the back of his hair.

"Call me 'girl', one more time."

"Misty-!"

The necromancer looked back at Cordelia, who began to shake her head at her, and she let Hank go. He fell back to the floor with an _umph_.

Fiona sighed, dejected. "You're useless, Hank."

"Which is why you get me to do the dirty work, baby doll." The axeman had appeared behind the Supreme, a smirk on his weathered face, his hands deep in his pockets. She smiled back at him as he let his gray eyes rake over Misty and Cordelia. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Cordelia."

"Save it." The alchemist said. "I'm not here for a chat. I wouldn't ever be here for a chat."

"Such finality." He raised his eyebrows. "It's not because we're enemies that we can't be civil."

"Is that what you tell your victims before you sever their heads from their bodies?"

He bowed mockingly. "My reputation precedes me."

Cordelia looked at her mother. "Is Myrtle here?"

"No. Not yet. She _would_ be late to her own meeting. But the rest of us are here."

"The rest of us?"

Fiona smirked as she led them away from the foyer and into the salon, Hank following a few steps away like a wounded puppy, wary eyes on Misty.

Cordelia's breath caught in her throat and her hand grasped onto Misty's, squeezing tight from behind her back, away from prying eyes. "Marie Laveau. Queenie." The black girl looked away.

"Cordelia Foxx." The voodoo queen raised an eyebrow. "You and your anarchist are here, why am I not surprised? This reeks of the swamps."

"We were invited, just like ya." Misty replied, her chin high. The alchemist gazed at her, begging her to let her do the talking. The necromancer turned away hotly.

Marie continued. "I've also heard that the LaLauries and that Ramsey woman have been invited. And _that_, I will not tolerate. I will not leave here without a head."

"You already have a head, Marie. Delphine's."

"It's not enough."

"It will be." Fiona snapped back. "You're lucky I haven't gone into your shit headquarters and taken her back already."

The voodoo queen stood threateningly, her black eyes throwing sparks, as Queenie stood too. "You would dare?"

The Supreme was about to open her mouth when the doorbell rang. She turned, annoyed. "Get it, Hank."

The man glared back before moving to do what he'd been told to do.

Cordelia shifted to the back of the room, Misty following her, a protective hand on her hip as the older blonde's body shook in impatience and terror against hers. She glanced back at the swamp queen and whispered "Where's Spalding?". The necromancer shrugged, her eyes raking the room.

"Ladies, the LaLauries, and Joan Ramsey." Hank said coldly as he opened the French doors. Marie hissed in annoyance as the group came in.

At the first sign of the voodoo witch, Louis LaLaurie openly bristled, and his daughters grabbed him by the arms and waists before he could lunge towards the black woman.

"Father, please-!" Borquita pleaded.

"That bitch has your mother!"

"I'd listen to your girl, LaLaurie." Marie snapped. "Or you're gonna be joining her in my attic."

"There will be no bloodshed here. I just had the rug cleaned." Fiona growled, reaching for a tumbler. She held it up to the light and nodded at the newcomers. "To you four, and to you, Joan. God knows it took you a lot of strength to cross the threshold." She cackled before downing the scotch. Louis pulled on his suit jacket, face red from exertion.

Joan crossed her arms over her chest. "Why are we here?"

"You answered the call." Fiona said, putting her glass down. "Simple as that. Unfortunately, the ringleader, isn't here yet. She's late." She glanced at the axeman. "I should have her burned." He grinned, and Cordelia shivered against Misty.

"You're mistaken, Fiona. We are here."

The entire salon turned to the doors where Myrtle Snow stood in all her glory, flanked by Nan and Luke, Pembroke and Quentin. She strolled into the room, ice blue eyes going from face to face, emotions passive. She finally looked back at Fiona. "I didn't think this would work."

"Neither did I, I thought doves were passé, but I must have been mistaken." The Supreme replied easily. "You have some guts, asking for a meeting. You've been exiled."

"So I have. But I am here on a truce."

"You can't make a truce, you idiot, _you've_ been _exiled_."

"And yet you haven't killed me where I stand. You must be somewhat curious?"

Fiona scowled. She turned to her lover. "We're going to need more chairs. And fetch the girls."

It took a few minutes, but by the time Hank and the axeman were done, the furniture had been removed and chairs added to make a neat circle. Marie boldly sat next to Fiona, who'd taken a seat across from Myrtle, dark hazel eyes watching her intently. Queenie had sat next to Madison and Kaylee, who easily ignored both her and Cordelia, though they blushed as the former headmistress walked by. Misty decided to stand behind her lover, fingers against her neck scratching her skin slightly, relaxing the alchemist.

The LaLauries sat as far as they could from the witches in the room, and Luke made sure to sit on the other side of Joan, not meeting her gaze, his hand in Nan's.

"I won't make a big speech," Myrtle said once everyone'd settled in. "Spalding is dead."

There was a pause.

"Fucking hell." Fiona hissed. "What did you do?"

Myrtle cocked her head to the side, mouth opening in a joyless smile as she laughed breathlessly.

Nan spoke for her. "We didn't do anything! He showed up on our doorstep, and died." Luke glanced sideways at her.

"If you'd like to proclaim your innocence, we'd love to hear it." Quentin added, raising his eyebrows.

"I don't see why we were called." Marie said loudly.

"We're trying to find the source of his death." Myrtle began. "We, at first, quite naturally pointed fingers at the rubble of the Coven," Fiona rolled her eyes. "But we figured it was too obvious. We've convened you all, because a man loyal to us, to the witches since the beginning of his line, has died."

"Look no further than our American anarchists." Fiona scowled. "They've been undoing all our work for weeks now."

"We don't kill, Fiona." Cordelia said. "We save."

"You didn't save the baby, did you?" Madison snarked from her corner.

Misty turned to her. "Ya should be ashamed of yourself."

"So should you." The actress raised an eyebrow. "You didn't get to save it."

"It's hard to bring something back when it's in pieces." Kaylee added with a smirk. Cordelia shivered as the Axeman basically _giggled_.

"We didn't kill Spalding." Misty echoed, staring down the two girls. "He was nothin' but nice to us." She growled. "If we had killed, ya'd have known it was us, I'd have left ya a nice little note, and a dead Supreme."  
The alchemist glanced back at Misty, caution in her dark eyes.

Myrtle shook her head. "We know you didn't do it, chickies. We have a list of suspects, and you aren't on it."

"Who is?" Marie asked.

"You, first of all." Pembroke sniffed.

The voodoo queen raised an eyebrow mockingly. "Me?"

"You've kidnapped Delphine LaLaurie." Quentin laughed. "It seems to us like you're trying to steadily get rid of us all." Louis LaLaurie growled besides him.

"Anyone else?" Fiona deadpanned.

"The axeman."

"Oh?"

Myrtle continued, ignoring his smirk. "We all know Spalding had been in love with you, Fiona, since he came to his post as butler. And isn't the axeman your lover?"

"Are you saying Spalding got jealous?" Queenie asked, grinning.

Fiona stood, and the black girl's smile fell from her face. "I have one more suspect for you, Myrtle." The redhead raised an eyebrow, waiting. "You."

"I beg your pardon!"

"How dare you?"

"Oh my god."

Myrtle stood too, silencing the room. "Explain yourself."

"You don't think of yourself as an idiot, correct?" The Supreme asked, smiling viciously. "So you must have known about Spalding?"

"Elucidate. Elaborate."

"He was double crossing you, and you knew it."

Cordelia's head fell into her hands. "Oh no."

Pembroke and Quentin glanced sideways at the redhead. "You knew?"

"Nan might have said something." Myrtle Snow replied. "Why did you think I didn't allow him into meetings anymore?"

"Which would explain why we didn't get inside tips." Madison scowled.  
Nan smiled triumphantly at her.

"Are we going to ignore the phoenix?" Marie snapped. "If I'm a suspect, so is she. She got a vendetta on the Coven, just like everyone else here does."

"It wasn't me!" Misty stiffened.

"Until we get proof, you're on the list, gator girl." Fiona smirked.

"You've forgotten to name the LaLauries." Luke added suddenly. His mother glared at him, and he looked down and away.

"Oh yes. Add them to the list." Marie laughed. "Have we named everyone, or did we miss someone?"

"How do you suggest we go about finding the killer?" The axeman asked.

"Truth serums."

Fiona rolled her eyes. "Oh for fuck's sake, Myrtle."

The redhead cocked her head to the side. "Are you insinuating that you won't take the potion?"

"Oh, I'll take your damn potion." The Supreme took a few steps forward, now nose to nose with the other woman. "And I'll pass your damn test. And you'll burn."

"Fair enough."

"Myrtle-!"

"No, Cordelia, if this is what it takes to find the murderer, then so be it."  
The alchemist turned in horror in her seat to gaze at Misty, pleading with her, but the necromancer couldn't do anything.

"Are we quite done stabbing fingers at each other?" Fiona growled. "I need a goddamned drink."

OOOOOOooooooOOOOOO

"Where are Kyle and Zoe?"

"We asked them to stay home." Cordelia said quietly, accepting Myrtle's embrace. "He doesn't like the academy." She laughed nervously. "Neither does she. Not since they ran away from this place."

"Neither do you, baby bird, and yet you're here, in your old greenhouse."

The alchemist bit her lip as she drew back. "I had to come. You sent the letter for a reason."

"I'd expected the swamp girl, not you." Myrtle admitted. "I didn't want to put you through the memories, the misery."

"It's alright." The blonde shook her head. "Someone has died and we need to figure out who did it. Would you pass me that root?"

Myrtle sighed but did as she was told. It took her a few seconds, but she opened her mouth again. "How's Misty?"

"Fine. A little stressed. She's been sleeping well, but...not enough." Cordelia said quietly. "Not lately, anyway. She comes home around four in the morning when she goes out, and you know her," She let out a small laugh. "She's obsessed with the sunrise."

The redhead nodded, watching as Cordelia mixed ingredients together over a small fire, having volunteered to help make the potion, alchemy being her forte. She was lucky that Fiona hadn't thrown away her stores, and even though the nightshade was a little old, it would work. Myrtle would enchant the result, having more power in justice than Cordelia ever would.

"Who do you think did it?"

"Let the potion do its work, Cordelia."

The blonde glanced sideways. "Myrtle."

"The Coven. Always the Coven." The redhead replied quietly.

"You should have told us about Spalding. We could have helped."

"No. You couldn't have. The magick that was used..." Myrtle took a small breath. "Was much too powerful, even for your Misty Day. It couldn't have been the LaLauries, or Joan Ramsey."

"Voodoo?"

"Possibly. But it could easily have been your mother."

"Would an alliance be too much forethought?"

Myrtle shook her head. "Never." She put a hand on Cordelia's shoulder. "You shouldn't be here. I worry for you. And Misty. Fiona doesn't forget."

"You run a risk being here too."

"I've been running risks all my life, little dove."

Cordelia didn't respond, and instead sighed, irritated, at her workstation. "I forgot to bring my plant pouch. I always bring it in town, _if_ I come to town, I haven't much since that one incident. And I didn't think I'd need it today. I'm an idiot." She smacked her palm onto the counter weakly, closing her eyes.

"Incident?"

The alchemist bit her lip. "We went out at night, about two months back. Misty was doing her job and I needed to stop by the apothecaries for some stuff you just can't find in the swamps -don't worry I always leave money- and this car passed by the road, where we were. Madison was driving and Kaylee was hanging out the window, throwing goddamn fireballs while Madison flipped cars over." She took a deep breath. "They didn't see us, but I swore off coming into the city at night." She glanced outside. "And it looks like I'll be breaking that promise tonight."

Cordelia looked down, and after a moment, up at Myrtle. "I've missed you."

The redhead smiled sadly and took the woman in her arms, squeezing her tight. "So have I, but you're safe. Both of you. That's all that counts." She laughed suddenly. "Who knew the swamps could hide a couple so well?"

"It's nice there, you should visit."

"It's not safe. Trust Zoe and Kyle, and no one else. I've told you before."  
The blonde nodded slowly. She passed her hands over the potion that was now boiling, muttering in Latin, and turned off the fire beneath it. "It'd be more potent if the ingredients were fresher, but I'm sure you can put quite the spell into it."

"You did fine." Myrtle cradled her head in her hands. "You always do. "She bent over the potion and closed her eyes, breathing her magick into the substance. It bubbled on its own, turning a variety of colors before settling on a deep red. It turned liquid, like wine, and Cordelia couldn't help the frown on her face.

The redhead stood straight. "A few drops will be just enough to work for but a minute. We want the truth, not secrets."

"Are you sure? I could give this entire thing to Fiona."

"Come on." Myrtle turned and led the alchemist out of the greenhouse and through the academy and its white walls.

"Is that-Is that Misty yelling?" Cordelia pushed past the redhead, threatening to spill the potion and ran into the salon. She gasped, alarmed, as Misty stood nose to nose with Fiona, anger and hate and rage in her blue-green eyes, mirrored in the older blonde's hazel ones.

"As soon as this is over, ya stay out of our lives, understood?"

"You can't stop me from walking around _my_ city."

The cajun queen laughed. "_Your_ city?"

"New Orleans is mine." The Supreme threatened.

"Not all. Ya don't have power in the swamps." The necromancer snapped.

"I have power wherever the darkness goes."

"That's what I said." Misty snarled.

"Watch your tongue. I burned you once, missy. I can do it again." Fiona spat.

Cordelia suddenly felt sick.

She remembered the moment like ashes in her mouth. It was after Myrtle's exile, as an added bonus to Fiona's call for loyalty. They'd tied the necromancer to the stake as she cried and screamed and uttered broken sounds, making Cordelia's name out of wrenched sobs. Fiona had made her watch, had held her head steady, fingers grasping at her chin. She'd watched Misty burn. She'd smelled her hair, her beautiful hair, singed to a crisp.

Fiona had held her, punishment for loving a rebel, an anarchist to her system. She'd held her daughter tight against her and let go only when Misty had stopped screaming, once the flames had burned out. And Cordelia, of her own will, heart broken and shattered at the bottom of her stomach, hadn't stood until the embers had died out. She'd walked home, her fingers black with charcoal, burnt rings in her hands. And she'd cried. For so long. She hadn't eaten, she hadn't slept. She longed for the comforting touch the feral blonde could never give her again.

She'd left the academy at night often, wandering through New Orleans, listening to jazz play out from open windows, desperately wishing for a familiar ballet or an opera. Desperately wishing for the pull of the dead witch's arms. Dark thoughts brewed in her mind for so long.

And one night she'd left during a storm, the tears mixing with the rain falling around her. And she'd somehow found her way back to the swamps, only crying harder at the memories, and she'd fallen to the forest floor, Misty's old shawl, drenched, tight around her shoulders. And she'd wanted to die. There, in the comfort of the familiar foliage, she'd wanted to die.

But a light, an aura, had tilted her head up, and she'd stared into Misty's eyes, eyeliner blurred from sleep deprivation and tears and Cordelia'd thought she'd gone insane. But Misty's hair was shorter, barely fell to her shoulders, and her nails were growing, her skin was bruised and parched and she was alive.

She'd brought herself back.

Misty hadn't said anything, had only helped Cordelia to her feet as the storm raged on and she'd dragged her like a guiding light in the night to her shack, a sight the older blonde had only seen once, twice, in Misty's memories when she touched her in the early mornings. And she'd opened her door and dragged Cordelia in, undressed her and hung their wet clothes as the alchemist stared openly, fingers itching at her skin, unsure of what to believe.

Misty'd walked them to the bed and laid Cordelia against her chest, and the woman'd listened to her heartbeat, and she knew the necromancer was truly back, and she'd begun to cry silently as Misty kissed her hair and her hands and everywhere she could reach without undoing Cordelia's grip on her arms, her waist.

And when she'd woken up, the wild blonde was still beneath her, and she'd smiled for the first time in weeks as her fingers traced circles on Misty's new tattoos.

**RISE.**

Jolted out of her memories, Cordelia's fingers grasped onto Misty's at Fiona's threat (she couldn't go back to that level of pain, she _couldn't_, she wouldn't survive it again), and the younger blonde squeezed back reassuringly.

_I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going anywhere_.

"I won't be so easily fooled this time 'round, Fiona." Misty hissed.

"You're an idiot, Misty Day. You will be, if I want you to be."

"_Stop it!_" Cordelia suddenly snapped. She rounded on her mother. "Take the damn potion, so we can all get the hell out of here."

Fiona regarded her with a hint of surprise in her eyes. "A backbone, Delia?"

"Don't call me that." The alchemist growled.

"I say we hold a party tonight, to celebrate our innocence." Madison called out, desperately trying to break the tension in the room. She massaged her neck, the skin under her scarf, delicately. She knew too well the extent of the Supreme's temper.

"Oh." Queenie's eyes lit up.

"Don't even think about it." Marie snapped. "We blacks ain't good enough for them crackers."

Fiona smirked. "Hell, Marie, if we're innocent, you're invited. The best seats in the house have your names all over them." She turned to Myrtle. "And we are innocent."

"Only the potion will tell." She raised her eyebrows behind her cat eye glasses and sighed. "I was about to call Spalding for glasses, but the poor man is gone. May he rest in peace."

"That's alright, let's just use our new butler. Hank?" The Supreme turned to Cordelia's husband, who'd been watching bleary eyed from the door. "You've been promoted. Get us glasses. Enough for everyone. We're _all_ taking it. Yes, even you Joan."

He opened his mouth to speak, but a well placed look from the axeman and a show of his favorite _instrument_ shut him up rather quickly. He shuffled out.

As soon as he came back, Kaylee stood to help him hand out crystal glasses to the salon's occupants. Myrtle passed behind her, potion smoking, to fill up each glass with but a few drops.

"Drink up bitches." Madison muttered.

Misty's eyes fixed her drink, distrust in her eyes, but she downed the glass as the others around her did too, Fiona barely hesitating, Myrtle finishing right behind her.

"Very well, the question that we will all answer is-"

"Oh no." Marie spoke up, pointing her finger at the redhead. "I ain't answering anything asked by a suspect. Get someone else to do it."  
Raised eyebrows went around the room, before everyone turned to Luke Ramsey, still staring down his drink, a look of distate on his face. He glanced up, and suddenly blushed, taking a step back as he realized everyone was staring.

"Mr. Ramsey." Fiona said smoothly. "The question, please?"

"Oh. Oh, I-uh-"

Nan elbowed him and gave him a brave smile.

"Right." He cleared his throat. "Who here killed Spalding, the coven's butler?"

Glances were shared around the room, until finally, Kaylee laughed, Madison following nervously. They were silenced with a glare from the axeman.

"Well this is ironic."

"Oh, please." Fiona snapped. She stabbed a finger at Cordelia and Misty. "It's obviously Kyle, or Zoe."

"They're not even _in_ Louisiana. We sent them to their home in Florida for the weekend." Cordelia snapped. "And this murder happened _after_ they left. Just admit that you don't know what's going on and that it angers you that you don't."

"Well, we'll be going." Marie stood and motioned for Queenie to follow her.

"Sit your ass down." Fiona barked.

"Sit your own ass down, cracker bitch!" The voodoo queen thundered. "We didn't kill your man, we have every right to go. Queenie! Say goodbye to your sister bitches and get your rear in gear." The black girl glanced sideways at Kaylee and Madison, throwing them an apologetic look.

"Don't you dare leave this room without promising me my wife!" Louis LaLaurie snapped.

"Or what?" Marie cackled. "Or _what_?" She shook her head, still laughing. "You know where I live, _Louis_, come find me once you have something to offer me for that whale. We're out."

The two left in a flourish, the LaLaurie family struggling to fit back into their coats to follow them out. Borquita threw a soft 'sorry' at the witches in the salon as she closed the salon doors behind her, and Joan gave her son a measured glare, that he didn't return.

Cordelia shivered as Misty whispered in her ear. "Let's go home." The older blonde turned in her chair to nod at the necromancer, who took her hand and stood her up.

"Where are you two going?"

"Home, Fiona." Misty snapped. She gave Kaylee and Madison a measured glance. "And I'll know if we're bein' followed, so don't even try."

Cordelia quickly hugged Nan and Luke, whispering words of encouragements in their ears and after a quick nod at Myrtle, left the salon, Misty in tow.

"Cordelia!" Hank yelled after her. "Don't leave, please."

"She left a long time ago, bucko." The necromancer threw over her shoulder. Cordelia smirked softly, her fingers tightening around Misty's as the younger blonde slammed the door shut behind her. They thundered the downstairs, but Cordelia suddenly held Misty back.

"Wait, there's something I have to do."

She turned, and with fire in her eyes, flicked her wrist up to the sigil above the academy's doorway. The wood caught in flames, and using her finger, she burned out the word **RISE** above the embers.

**PART III**

The two looped back and forth through New Orleans, Misty looking back over her shoulder once in a while to make sure they weren't followed, and finally satisfied, she tightened her hold on Cordelia and led her back to the swamps.

The shack was a welcome sight for both women, and they hurried inside, as the night crawled in around them. Cordelia paused in the doorway as Misty turned the lights on.

The necromancer glanced down and smiled. "Hey Clyde. What did ya today?" She paused as he chirped up at her. "Oh yeah? That's good to hear."

Cordelia shook her head, laughing silently. "What did he do?"

"He went to see his sisters down at the bend." Misty smiled at her. She prodded his side with the heel of her boot and he took the hint. He rumbled once and slithered outside at a leisurely pace, golden eyes fixed on Cordelia. Misty's face fell as she closed the door behind him. "And he says ya look concerned. And ya do. What is it?"

"This, this whole thing, Mist." Cordelia passed her hand through her hair, fingers landing on the red hawk feathers in her strands. "That we haven't figured out what happened bothers me. Even if we had, and have, nothing to do with it. I'm not in league with the coven anymore, but I knew Spalding. I grew up with him."

"I understand."

"And that I wasn't able to help hurts me. It's almost like I failed him. And Myrtle." The alchemist closed her eyes. "And the worst part is, that deep inside, I don't want to find out what happened. I don't care, Misty. I don't care."

"Cordelia?"

"Maybe she's right. Maybe I'm no better than them." Cordelia whispered. "Maybe I belong to them after all. Me and my apathy." She continued bitterly, eyes fixed on her wedding ring as she fiddled with it. Misty took her hands in hers and tugged on her until she looked up into her blue-green eyes.

"I've told ya before, and I'll tell ya forever, ya are _nothing_ like them, Cordelia Goode. Do ya understand me? It's not because ya want nothing to do with their troubles, that you're a bad person." The swamp witch snapped. She glanced down at the wedding ring and covered it with her fingers, taking a deep breath. "Ya know," She looked away, and Cordelia narrowed her eyes, waiting.

"No, I don't know." She urged.

"The ring. It doesn't have to mean Hank." Misty said quietly. "It can mean me."

Cordelia stared in wonder at the girl.

She'd been so angry when she'd first came back. She'd been angry at Fiona and the Coven and Hank, most of all. She'd taken to throwing things and raising her voice, not at Cordelia, of course, never at Cordelia, but she'd yell out into the night and kick over rocks, the unfairness of the world coursing, burning through her veins. But now, mentioning her husband, she just gazed evenly at Cordelia, her blue-green eyes calm.

"What are you saying?"

"Forget him. I, I've been savin' this for a while. Since before I was burned." Misty said. She scrambled to the porch and fetched something from a box on the table and walked back to Cordelia, sitting down next to her, knees touching.

She opened her hand and held it up for the alchemist to see. "It's not much. It'll never be as fancy as yours, and I'll have to bring it back to life once in a while." She laughed nervously. "But it can do its job well, I think. I'll wear it, if you'll be mine."

Cordelia gazed down at the makeshift ring in between Misty's fingers. She'd made it of vines and pliable branches, and she knew that once spring rolled around, the dying bud would flower. Every year. She looked up into the necromancer's eyes.

"Are you asking me to marry you?"

"We can't, technically. But I figured," Misty gave her a small smile. "That I make my own rules."

Cordelia leaned forward and kissed her softly, her fingers grazing her jaw. "Yes. A thousand times yes, my sweet, _sweet_ firebird."

Misty smiled against her and wrapped her arms around her alchemist's waist, pulling her in closer and arching her into her mouth. Cordelia's hands played with the curls at the bottom of her skull and the swamp queen couldn't help the little giggle that bubbled out of between her lips as the older blonde grazed a sensitive spot.

She suddenly picked up the alchemist and spun her around, their lips locked as Cordelia yelped happily against her. She put her down softly, her arms tight around her waist and she gazed endlessly into warm dark eyes.

"You witches are funny things."

The two women suddenly turned, Misty taking a step forward to shield Cordelia against the dark voice, the dark character in their doorway.  
Cordelia gasped slightly, her fingers tightening around Misty's arm.

"Papa Legba." Misty outright growled at the man.

"I seem to be mistaken. A witch and her dog are funny things."

"What are you doing here?" The alchemist's voice was soft, somewhat fearful.

"I decided to visit." His red eyes grazed over her silhouette, and then Misty's. "My domain is lonely, but for the sound of screams." The necromancer's frown deepened. "Though my new soul is silent. He gives respite to my burning ears."

Cordelia sagged against Misty's back, breathing hard. "You're the one who killed him. You killed Spalding."

The demon's eyes raked back to the older blonde's, and he grinned widely, his canines sharp. "Why, you wonder?" The two opposite him nodded, Misty's movements more confident than her lover's. "For fun."

Misty wrinkled her nose. "That's sick."

"I enjoy watching mortals tear at each other. And you two have disappointed me."

"Disappointed ya?"

"I was expecting bloodshed, but you two being mediators, I didn't get any." He almost pouted at the two witches, his arms wide as he sighed mockingly. "Will I have to wait until you crown a new Supreme to enjoy myself?"

"Is that what gets ya off?"

"_Misty_."

The demon laughed heartily. "She can bite all she wants, I won't kill her. No, I enjoy you too much. You and your gators." He sobered. "But I'd watch that your tongue gets no harsher, I'm letting you live, I let you leave my realm." The necromancer's blue-green eyes narrowed.  
He tilted his head to look out one of the shack's windows. "A poor soul calls me, from the other side of town. A certain Lalaurie."

Cordelia's dark eyes were wide. "Marie wouldn't-"

"Oh she would." Papa Legba purred. "I expect a war out of this Delphine's death. Little Madison throwing fireballs, Fiona and Myrtle at each other's throats as Queenie stabs herself with a fork. Oh yes." He licked his lower lip. "Perhaps we'll have a new leader once the smoke settles?"

Misty said nothing, but Cordelia could see she was digging her nails into her flesh.

"It was nice seeing you again, Misty Day, and you for the first time, Cordelia Foxx. Though it won't be the last." He tipped his hat at them. "And I hope I will receive an invitation on the wing of a dove to your marriage." He laughed deeply as he turned and vanished as he walked through the doorway, the two staring after him.

OOOOOOooooooOOOOOO

The sweltering Louisiana sun beat down on both of them, sweat rolling off their skin in beads, Misty's hand trailing idly in the swamp water as they rowed down the bogs lazily. Cordelia was splayed against her front, her fingers tracing circles against Misty's knee, against the burn scars she'd refused to get rid of, her head back on her shoulder.

The older blonde's voice suddenly broke the silence. "It's hot."

"Then take off your shirt."

"_Misty_."

But after a moment, the alchemist took the swamp queen's advice, and tugged the flimsy material up and over her head, throwing it for it to land on the edge of the row boat. She settled back in Misty's arms, her back clinging to Misty's own shirt as she sighed softly, content in listening to the necromancer's hums. A wayward hand traveled up her stomach to settle on the swell of her breast.

She let out a soft gasp, but didn't push Misty's fingers away, instead ever so subtly arching into the touch. The necromancer's other hand flitted to cup her ribs, where her new, finished tattoo now lay, messy handwriting and all.

**Salem Has Burned.**  
_**RISE.**_

But both were too lazy to go any further, happy with where they were.

Cordelia's voice was but a whisper as she tilted her head up to look at her lover. "What are we going to do once this war starts?"

"I don't know. We'll figure it out once it does. Until then, life goes on." The swamp queen replied softly, and after a moment, added, "We'll do the right thing, I reckon."

"Misty?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."


	2. Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue

National Anthem Part II - A Tattoo Foxxay Superfic

_**As always, the biggest thank you given to Grace for beta-ing and headcanon-ing and being the best human being in general. **_

_**Rated T**_

_**Word Count: 9K**_

**National Anthem Part II: Courtesy of the Red White and Blue**

"I have a present for ya."

Cordelia turned in her chair and grinned up at Misty who'd just come in from the rain, package in her hand, hair as wild as ever. "Misty-" She shook her head, suddenly blushing. "You shouldn't have."

"I felt like it." The necromancer breathed, blue-green eyes lit up in the shack's soft light. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, knuckles white around the newspaper wrapped article in her arms. Her gaze raked over her lover's body and from where she was Cordelia saw her tense as her eyes glanced to her wedding ring.

But the alchemist knew that she wasn't contracting her muscles in anger, or hate, or grief. Far from it.

Cordelia found herself fiddling with the ring, turning it this way and that as she waited patiently for Misty to say or do something. She turned ever so slowly to face the necromancer, eyebrows raised in question.

Misty looked away. "I, ah, I'm leavin' for the city tonight. Damage control, ya know?" She passed a hand through her sopping wet curls. "Marie's been able to keep it to herself that-" She grimaced, then continued. "Bodies start to smell after a while." Cordelia nodded, and she took a deep breath. "But it's gonna be cold tonight, and I know ya like sittin' outside, waitin' for me."

"I'll curl up in something, don't worry about me."

"Well, I-" Misty faltered, and looked down at her feet.

"Why are you so nervous?" Cordelia finally asked, resting her elbows on her thighs, looking up at the swamp queen with black eyes.

"I don't see why I am." The wild blonde admitted, laughing breathlessly. "We've done this before."

There was a silence as Misty scuffed at the floor with the tip of her boot, as Cordelia played with her fingers.

Finally, the older woman spoke. "It's because of Fiona."

"I don't want to go." Misty blurted. She fell to her knees in front of Cordelia and grasped her hands with her own free one. "I don't want to leave ya here." The alchemist opened her mouth to object, but the wild blonde shook her head, effectively silencing her. "I want to keep an eye on ya."

Cordelia reached down to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her fingers grazing on her lover's jaw, resting at the angle between her neck and shoulder. "I'll be here when you come back. I can promise you that much." She laughed lightly. "And not much else." She paused and cocked her head to the side. "I'm a big girl, Misty. I can take care of myself."

"Sorry." Misty replied sheepishly, dipping her head down in shame. "I just-I worry about ya. Even though I'm the one out there and you're back here tucked away safely, I worry."

"I worry just as much for you, Misty Day."

The necromancer nodded with difficulty. She looked up again and placed the package she'd been grasping in between her fingers on Cordelia's lap, then rested her chin on her lover's knee.

"What is it?"

"A gift. For the lonely nights."

Cordelia paused and met blue-green eyes with black ones. "I'm never alone. I have you with me."

Misty grinned despite herself. "Open it."

The alchemist's lithe fingers undid the string tied hastily at the top and undid the wrapping achingly slowly. She admittedly loved watching Misty squirm with impatience. Misty's own hands shifted restlessly on the floor, wanting to rip at the old newspaper.

"Oh, Misty."

"I went to that store ya like? The one by the bakery and I- uh- I went in a bought some cloth. Everyone's keepin' so low that I've had time to just sit there and sew like crazy." She paused. "Ya get a lot done in the middle of the night, funnily enough."

"I-oh it's beautiful."

"It matches your eyes. Or, I mean, I tried to make it match your eyes."  
Cordelia laughed lightly and dipped her head down to catch Misty in a kiss, her fingers tightening around the girl's neck as they deepened their embrace. The necromancer sat up on her knees, her hands finding hips.

The alchemist pulled away with a wry smile. "Go, phoenix. Hell needs you."

"Like a desert needs water."

"Exactly."

Misty stole one last kiss before standing up to her full height and reaching past Cordelia for her messenger bag. She draped it over her shoulder and followed the alchemist out onto the porch, their fingers intertwined, both backdropped by the dying sun.

"I'll be back soon."

"You always are." Cordelia nodded. Misty gave her a brave smile before taking off, glancing back every few steps to make sure the alchemist was still there, safe. She turned back one last time before disappearing through the brambles.

Cordelia sighed softly and sat down, tucking her knees underneath herself as the rain took up again, wrapping her new midnight black shawl around her shoulders.

Misty's fingers at the base of her neck and soft lips on her cheek woke her up. She blinked up at the necromancer, apologies beginning to fall from between her lips, but the wild blonde kissed them away. She stood her up and wrapped her arms around her, shawl between them.

They were silent as they entered their home, both laying down on their shared mattress and gazing into each other's eyes. Relief in Misty's, questions in Cordelia's.

Finally, after some time, the alchemist spoke up. "How was it."

"Quiet." Misty whispered back. "So quiet. Like the calm before the storm." She tightened her hold on Cordelia's hands, and the older blonde nodded back, almost nervously. She closed her eyes and took a sharp breath as Misty began speaking again. "It's gonna happen soon, Delia."

"I know."

"It's gonna happen and it's gonna blow up in our faces real bad." The wild blonde turned to lay on her back, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Cordelia rested her head on her shoulder, burrowing there as her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. "The city of New Orleans will catch on fire." She glanced down at the alchemist and gave her a brave smile. "But I don't burn."

OOOoooOOO

Fiona turned to the two witches standing at the door, their eyes cast down, and she let her arms drop to her side limply, a small smile growing on her face. "Say it again." She took a step towards her. "Say it again."

Madison Montgomery bit her lower lip and glanced sideways at Kaylee, but the redhead said nothing, choosing to look away. After a moment, the telekinetic sighed and shifted her weight. "Delphine Lalaurie is dead."

"Dead."

"As a doornail." The red head replied. "We found her body by the river. It washed up, it was bloated and blue, but it was her." She added, grimacing slightly. "She's dead, Miss Goode."

The Supreme took a few steps around the ancestry room, measured, calculated, her cold hazel eyes warmed by the flames in the fireplace. She reached for a cigarette sitting on one of the low tables as she looked out the windows, her smile growing into a grin, one of complete joy and utter disbelief. She barked out a laugh. "Do you know what this means, Madison? Kaylee?"

The two shook their heads nervously.

"It means it's finally ours." A dark timber rose up. Kaylee flinched heavily as the axeman breathed down her neck, having appeared behind them silently.

Madison's voice was breathless. "What's ours?" She asked carefully, turning to watch the elderly man with wary eyes.

"The city." Fiona answered for him. She lit her cigarette and took a long drag, meeting the axeman's grin with a coy smile of her own.

"I don't see-" Madison paused as the Supreme turned her dark gaze on her. She began again, quietly. "I don't see how her death gives us the city. Marie-"

"Is no more than a thorn in our backside now. Easily removable." The blonde said.

"She has murder on her hands, and murder brings consequences." The axeman added. "She'll be so busy dealing with the backlash of her heavy hand that we'll have easy access through the shadows." He looked up at Fiona and smiled darkly. "She won't see what hit her."

"A well placed axe in the dark?" Fiona asked smugly, raising an eyebrow.

Kaylee laughed nervously. "It's like you guys have been planning this."

The alluring blonde and the greying man shared a testy look, but the Supreme chose not to answer, dragging on her cigarette instead.

"I don't think this is a good idea."

"Are you backing out, Madison?" The dirty blonde opened her mouth to answer, but the older woman cut her off. "This isn't kindergarten anymore, girl. If you wanted to learn your colors and how to count to ten, you would have joined my daughter and your friend Zoe. A woman is dead. An enemy, is dead. Get in the saddle or die trampled."

She threw her cigarette on the floor and stepped on it with her shoe.

"War has broken out, my girls. Reach for your armor and your sword."

OOOoooOOO

Cordelia turned her head to watch Misty, her dark eyes riveted on the younger blonde. The swamp queen hadn't bothered with clothes, comfortable with only the shawl around her shoulders. A tattered American flag. Cordelia figured that in other parts of the country, most of them really, Misty would be ostracized for wearing it the way she was, but it looked too good backlit against her muscles for the older blonde to say anything. It fit her perfectly. Body and soul.

Her little anarchist.

The alchemist sat up on her elbows, fingers curled around the edges of the pillow that'd fallen down the mattress. The necromancer suddenly turned around, having felt burning black eyes on her, and she only stared back, face passive as she leaned against the edge of her wooden counter. They held their gazes even as their chests breathed in and out, Cordelia's heart hammering against her tattooed ribs.

The older blonde so desperately wanted to ask, but she didn't want to break the silence. The silence that had permeated since they'd watched the sun rise together that morning. Misty had simply led her back inside and curled up against her side, eyes open and blurry as she looked off into the distance, fingers tracing inane patterns into Cordelia's skin.

Misty let out a little, clipped sigh as she tilted her head to the side. Cordelia squirmed underneath her stare, but didn't dare break it, her knuckles turning white as her breathing came out erratically. The cajun took a step forward, her own hands wrung into her shawl and she came to stand before the bed, looking down at Cordelia, who'd raised her eyes up to meet her lover's gaze.

Long fingers tightened around her neck and Misty effortlessly raised her up a few more inches, thumbs tracing her jawline as her blue-green eyes seemed to glow in the hazy light. Cordelia's gaze flittered between them and her lips as she unconsciously licked her own dry ones.

The necromancer's mouth was sweet against hers, in a harsher kiss than she thought it'd be, but it only ripped a moan from her mouth as nails raked down her neck. Her own hands tangled into wild curls and she tugged Misty onto the mattress, edging back until her back hit the wall, the girl hovering above her. The young blonde's hands came to rest on the wooden surface as she kissed Cordelia roughly, for everything she had.

The alchemist broke away, breathing hard, her fingers running down her lover's taut stomach. "I'm coming with you tonight."

Misty's mouth pressed down against her neck and she mumbled against ivory skin. "Why?"

"I don't want you to leave me here anymore."

Misty pulled away long enough to gaze into Cordelia's black eyes, finding decision in them, endless questions in her own, but she didn't ask as she lifted the woman's shirt up and over her head.

"I'm asking you to keep an eye on me." Cordelia added, kissing Misty again, teeth nipping at her lower lip. "You wanted to and I'm saying yes. I need you." The wild blonde paused, and the alchemist repeated her words. "_I need you_."

"You've got me."

It was hours later when Misty finally stood again, bones aching and muscles screaming as she fit a blouse over her shoulders. Cordelia slept on their bed, but as soon at the necromancer roused, she opened her black eyes to gaze the girl over, unmoving in her form.

But the wild blonde noticed her change in breathing.

"I was gonna wake ya."

"When the sun was down?"

Her blue-green eyes almost glowed. "I was gonna wake ya." She repeated. Cordelia nodded, burying her head in her arms, only the top half of her face still showing, as she watched the girl bustle around their home, collecting things and throwing them into her bag.

"Ya might wanna dress warm." Misty added quietly, glancing back, eyes on a bare shoulder. "It's gonna get cold, there ain't any clouds tonight." The alchemist nodded, sat up, and reached for the sweater she'd thrown down the mattress the night before. The swamp queen sat down in front of her, knees tucked beneath herself.

And there they waited for the sun to set. Misty hummed aimlessly, flitting between ballets and operas as Cordelia played with strands of her hair, braiding and unbraiding and braiding again.

Finally, they stood and hand in hand they walked out into the dark night, the cicadas humming in their ears and the wind frigid, backdropped against the humid air rising from the ground. Misty led Cordelia through the brambles, holding back branches for her and glancing over her shoulder regularly as the alchemist's breathing shallowed the further out they got.

The busted out of the foliage into the street, the city in sight, black as a crow's feathers. Misty's fingers tightened against Cordelia's, but the alchemist gave her a brave smile.

"I'll follow my usual track round, if you're okay with that."

"Do what you need to do." The alchemist whispered back. They walked into the city with their arms linked, Misty's blue-green gaze scanning their surroundings and her fingers grasped around Cordelia's wrist.

The streets were bare and silent as a church tolled midnight above them, and Misty wandered off the sidewalk and down to the gates of a cemetery. But something held Cordelia back.

"Mist, I'll just stay here."

"Delia-"

"I'll be fine, I'll be less than a hundred feet away, I swear to you. I can see you from where I'll be."

"But _I_ won't be able to see ya."

"I know I'm contradicting myself from earlier, but please."

The necromancer glanced around. "The cemetery freaks ya out, don't it."

"Yeah."

"Okay, fine. Just, just call me if somethin's off, yeah? Whatever it is. If ya see your own shadow, holler." She kissed Cordelia on the temple before stepping into the gated area and disappearing into the fog. The older blonde could see her shawl reflecting the street lights.

Misty made her way through the rows of graves, keeping an eye out as she measured her steps. She finally paused to close them and reached out with her soul, letting herself feel the air and life around her. There was nothing but the skittering of bugs and the occasional bird ruffling its feathers up in the trees. Nothing was dead. Not freshly so, anyway.  
She continued warily, hands out in front of her, feeling the humidity and the fear, as palpable as human skin. Fresh graves weren't uncommon, but they felt real, they felt like peace. And tonight she didn't feel any disruptions, she didn't feel injustice, she didn't feel Death hanging over her shoulder, waiting.

The necromancer turned to find her way back to the front of the property, stepping over mounds of dirt and wilting flowers. She found Cordelia waiting, leaned up against the stone walls, facing the street. The alchemist turned slightly and grimaced in greeting. She held out a sack.

"Here."

Misty smiled softly. "What's this?"

"I got it for you. It's been a while." Cordelia shrugged, pushing the paper bag into her lover's arms. "I went to the bakery." She jutted her chin out to point at the building across the street.

The swamp queen held her tongue, knowing the woman before her didn't want to be chastised for wandering. Instead, she raised an eyebrow. "It's closed."

"Who do you think taught Zoe how to pick locks?"

The necromancer let out a bark of laughter. She opened the bag under Cordelia's watchful eye and grinned. "Nice thinkin'." She didn't have to ask her if she'd left money.

"It's one of the only things I can't make. I'm really sorry about that."  
Misty glanced up into her black eyes. "You're perfect. It doesn't matter that ya can't make bagels." She bit into the pastry and let her eyes roll into the back of her head. "God this is good."

"Are you sure it doesn't matter?" Cordelia teased. She paused. "How was it in there?"

"Fine." The wild blonde replied. She didn't finish, and tucked the rest into her bag. She linked her fingers with Cordelia's again, and began to amble down the street. The woman didn't complain. Finally, she spoke again. "I was thinkin' about Louisiana irises for the weddin'."

Cordelia tilted her head to the side. "It would be rather easy to find, you're growing so much already."

"We. We're growin' them." The wild blonde corrected.

"It would be perfect." The alchemist added, glancing sideways at her lover. "I see you with a flower crown."

"If anyone's gonna have a crown, it's ya." Misty laughed lightly. "Ya really don't mind?"

"No." Cordelia let her head fall to rest on the necromancer's shoulder as they walked. "It's going to be wonderful." She too laughed as she looked up into blue-green eyes. "I, honestly, am partial to our honeymoon."

Misty bit her lip and looked away. "I feel bad, I can't take ya anywhere."

"I don't care where we are, as long as you're there." The older blonde reassured her. She stopped walking and pulled the taller girl into her arms. "It'll be heaven. As it always is." The swamp queen smiled shyly and was tugged down into a kiss.

They broke apart at the sound of breaking glass.

"Are you always this cozy with your students?" A voice called out from the darkness, taunting.

Cordelia's lisp came with fear. "Madison."

"Miss Cordelia." The dirty blonde stood a dozen feet off, Kaylee besides her. "It's been a few weeks."

"Not enough." The alchemist replied, standing tall. "What do you want?"

"You're in Coven territory."

"I wasn't exiled, as much as I remember." The older blonde snapped.

Besides her, Misty bristled openly.

"You're sleeping with the enemy. You might as well be." Kaylee said.

"Did Fiona send you?" Cordelia asked.

"We were just making rounds." The telekinetic answered. "Much like you were. Except you're out of bounds. Your dog here was burned, that's just as good as getting booted out of the friendship circle."

"Find your own insults, Madison." Misty spat. "Don't ya respect yourself enough to at least get your own wit?" She stepped closer. "And if I'm gonna be an animal, then so be it. But don't make me rip your throat out."

"Cute." The dirty blonde sneered, but uncertainty flashed in her hazel eyes.

"I wonder if it'll be as cute once you're bleedin' out. Let's see, shall we?" The necromancer threatened, teeth bared. "I won't be there to save ya. Not again."

Kaylee's hands suddenly caught on fire, and she balled her fingers into fists. "Step back." Misty did as she was told, a growl escaping her throat at the orange and yellow flames licking up the redhead's arms.

"You're not as tough as you think you are." The dirty blonde taunted.

"Little puppy's afraid of fire." She clipped the last word, her tongue resting on her teeth as she grinned.

Madison was thrown to the ground with a slap that rang out through the night. Cordelia suddenly pulled Misty down as a fireball came barrelling their way, Kaylee effectively sending it flying against a tree, the embers exploding in flashes of red and green.

The alchemist yelped as another missed her by a few inches, Misty pushing her out of the way. The necromancer grabbed at Madison's ankle before she could crawl away and dragged her to her. She stood the girl up, holding her before her by the neck, and hid Cordelia with her own body.

"Don't ya dare."

"Kaylee, don't-!" Madison cried out.

Kaylee grimaced. "Sorry, Madison." She ripped her arm back and let it fly.

From behind Misty came a quick "Duck!".

The wild blonde dropped to the ground with the telekinetic as Cordelia threw her own burning hand out.

Fire met in the middle, flames erupting and going out in a angry puff of black smoke. The redhead threw flame after flame after flame, her face twisting with rage, Cordelia answering in turn with her own.

Misty was thrown back with a flick of Madison's wrist, and the necromancer scrambled to her feet as the dirty blonde came at her. Cordelia glanced back and fell to the pavement as she was hit. But Madison screamed out as a wall of flames erupted before her, turning to see black eyes staring momentarily at her. Cordelia snapped back and stood and dodged a flaming projectile before throwing her own one back.

Misty watched as Madison broke into a run, calling for the redhead to follow. She threw her arm out one last time, missing both blondes before following the younger girl.

Cordelia fell to her knees and the necromancer ran to her side. "Delia-"

"I'm fine. Just. I'm fine." The alchemist winced, fingers on her chest. "Just a little scorch. It's nothing."

"Delia."

"What."

"I didn't know ya could do that." Misty breathed out heavily, holding onto Cordelia, knuckles white. The older blonde shook her head, gasping, black eyes on the end of the street where the girls had disappeared.

"Neither did I."

OOOoooOOO

"Misty, please-" Cordelia's words were wrenched out of her throat with a yowl of pain as she twisted underneath the necromancer's grip.

"Stop thrashin', Delia." The wild blonde begged. "You're burned pretty bad."

"Don't touch it!" The alchemist's fingers wrapped around the necromancer's wrist and she glared up into blue-green eyes, silent threats hanging in the air.

"You're not givin' me a choice here."

"Misty Day-"

The wild blonde ignored her as she moved to straddle the woman, blocking her. She reached up and grabbed the jet black shawl by Cordelia's head, quickly tying knots into the bars of the bed, wrapping lithe hands into it.

"Misty, no no please don't Misty-!"

"I gotta get this fixed. Trust me, please."

Sobs wracked Cordelia's body, but she was silent as her mouth opened with her wordless cries. She thrashed beneath Misty, begging, words forming into one and tumbling out of her throat in inane hurls of sentences.

"Delia-?"

Cordelia suddenly went slack beneath her, turning her head to bury it into the pillow, her muscles dying beneath the necromancer, her veins out and a deathly blue. Misty bent over, laying her hands on her shoulders.

"Delia."

Was she even breathing anymore?

The wild blonde scrambled to untie the knots around thin wrists, cursing as her nails failed her. She reached for the jagged knife in the bedside table's drawers, taking it out to rip at the shawl. She threw the pieces behind her and took Cordelia in her arms, hugging her to her chest, repeating her name like a mantra, apologies falling from in between open lips.

It went on for too long.

The alchemist finally surged against her, gasping out for breath as her nails dug into tanned skin, now crying loudly, her tears falling sloppily down her face and mixing with her saliva as she whimpered and raked trails down the wild blonde's shoulder blades.

Misty continued whispering into her hair, rocking them back and forth. She cried for hours, finally letting herself get coaxed into laying down, the necromancer curled into her side, apologies falling past tired lips as she breathed life back into the older blonde. But still she cried. Silent, deadly.

It wasn't until the sun began to rise that Cordelia spoke, her black eyes, devoid of light, fixed on the ceiling.

"Hank."

Misty raised her head up to gaze at the alchemist. "What?"

"Hank used to tie me up."

The wild blonde closed her eyes, guilt overtaking her.

"When I wasn't listening to him or when Fiona had enough of me." The woman added, emotionless. "After you died-" She paused to take a slow breath. "After you died and after Myrtle was exiled, it happened for hours on end. Punishment. I guess. There was no one to save me."

Tears began to dot Misty's vision again. "I'm so sorry." She murmured, finding Cordelia's hands, placing kisses on her knuckles.

"It's okay."

"No it's not. Oh god." Misty's blue-green eyes searched her lover's face, dipping down to stare at the burns on the alchemist's chest, untreated and red and raw. "Oh god." She repeated. "I'm so sorry."

Cordelia didn't reply this time as sunlight hit her golden hair.

OOOoooOOO

The alchemist was far from the necromancer, eyes on the window and gazing outside, Misty watching her from her own corner.

The woman's black eyes slid to the wild blonde whose own gaze had fallen to the floor, lip bloody from all the biting she'd been doing, red staining the front of her corset.

Suddenly Cordelia stood and crossed the room to throw herself down on the bed besides the necromancer, tucking herself away in Misty's lap, her arms wrapping around strong legs as she rested her chin on the girl's knees, back to Misty's front. She hated being too far for too long. A hand came up to rub circles into her back and she sighed, tears threatening to spill again.

"I'm not angry with you." She finally said, raising her hand to wipe at her nose.

"How aren't ya?" Misty breathed back. "I would be. I am."

"I should have told you."

"Ya shouldn't have anythin'." The necromancer bit back. "I was stupid to do that to ya. I should have listened to ya the first time ya told me not to. And I didn't." She let out her own heavy sigh as her eyes suddenly clouded. "Your heart stopped, Delia."

The alchemist sniffed, but didn't reply.

Misty leant forward and placed a kiss in her hair, wrapping her arms tight around the woman. "I'm sorry."

"I know, Misty. I know."

"Delia-?"

"Are you sorry?" The older woman guessed with small grin. Misty smiled against her at the hint of her old self, but suddenly sobered, tears forming again.

"Yes. I-, Delia, your shawl…"

Cordelia gazed up at her before letting her eyes slide to the ground, where the tatters of her night black shawl lay. "Misty-"

"No it's not okay." The wild blonde wiped at her eyes, laughing breathlessly. "I shouldn't be the one who's upset but I've ruined everythin' like I always do. I'm so sorry."

Cordelia sat up, burying herself into the necromancer's neck. "Oh Misty-"

"Why the hell do ya stay with me? I break everythin' I touch."

The alchemist couldn't answer, her throat full. Finally, after a long while, she spoke up, her voice soft. "The power of resurgence."

Misty looked down at her, blue-green eyes swimming, before holding the woman tight to her.

OOOoooOOO

The necromancer's fingers were on the older blonde's hips, guiding her around the shack, following closely. More than once Cordelia glanced over her shoulder at her, but she didn't ask, as Misty looked away every time their eyes connected.

She was wearing one of the wild blonde's corsets, the only shirt that didn't ride up against her chest, raw and aching and wrinkled with forming scars.

Misty hadn't asked again to lay her hands on the burn. She was too afraid to, too afraid to even reach out and touch it. She stayed so far away when they slept, her hands laying on hips and on thighs but going nowhere near her stomach and up.

It'd been days.

It'd been days and Cordelia's chest oozed and bled and goosebumps ran up and down her arms whenever a gust of wind, a breeze, a lick, passed by. But she didn't say anything. She wasn't about to, not when she knew Misty fretted and not when she knew that if she mentioned it past the occasional wince and grimace, the necromancer would fall to her knees, broken farther and maybe beyond repair at the thought of hurting her.

She'd tried telling her it wasn't her fault.

But she wasn't listening.

She'd promised to keep Cordelia safe, and she'd failed. And she blamed herself to where she didn't sleep anymore. She stayed up and listened to the alchemist's breathing. She kept the palm of her hands on her shoulder blades and watched deep into the night as her fingers lifted and fell with every breath.

And her eyes watched Cordelia in the morning, the sunrise forgotten before her.

Around midday, tired of watching Misty wear away, Cordelia took her by the hands and led her out of the shack, headed towards the water, her black eyes on the necromancer.

"What are ya doin'?"

"We haven't swam in a while." Cordelia answered softly, working at the knots on the girl's skirt.

"Delia, should ya? With your-" She paused. "Maybe you shouldn't."

"It'll probably do more good than anything else." She looked up into her eyes. "Stop worrying."

"I can't."

"Try." Cordelia laughed lightly. She finished stripping Misty down, the girl watching her with wide eyes, and hung her own outfit on a nearby tree branch before pulling the necromancer to her. "Do you remember what I told you?"

The wild blonde shook her head, throat dry.

"I need you. Don't shut yourself away." She paused to whisper in her ear. "I'm fine. I swear to you."

Cordelia tilted her head at her and waded into the water, easily walking so that her hips skimmed the surface. Misty followed her in, her fingers finding tattooed ribs and hugging her back to her chest.

Together they walked in deeper, Cordelia tugging the necromancer further and further until her chest had sunk into the Louisiana waters, hissing out in pain and instant relief, Misty's nails digging into her skin at the sounds. Cordelia raised her arms and wound her hands into wild curls, finding an anchor there as the swamps bathed her wound.

Misty nuzzled into her neck, holding her tight as she shook with the pain and shock to her system. Finally, Cordelia settled back down, holding the wild blonde close to her.

"I might start doing this more often." Cordelia admitted softly, twisting in Misty's arms to rest her forehead on a sharp collarbone.

"If it makes ya feel better." The swamp queen replied. She was about to open her mouth when Cordelia stopped her.

"I know, another apology. Stop apologizing. Please."

Misty bit her lower lip, splitting it open again.

"You're not the one who attacked me, Mist."

"I didn't help neither."

"You thought you were doing the right thing."

"My mom always did tell me to stop thinkin'." The necromancer mumbled.  
Cordelia let out a laugh, a real one this time, and Misty couldn't help the grin that overtook her face. She hugged the alchemist tighter to her and whispered into blonde strands.

"Can ya forgive me?"

"Always, because there's nothing to forgive."

OOOoooOOO

"What the _hell_ happened to you two. Where have you been? It's been almost a week since you've shown your faces. You can't just-" The Supreme paused, hazel eyes overlooking the two girls. "What's with all the gauze, Kaylee? Are you going as a mummy for next Halloween?"

Madison winced as the axeman grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, examining her with his cold, grey eyes.

"These two have been licking at their wounds, baby doll."

Fiona marched over to the redhead and ripped at the bandages on her shoulder. "Burn marks." She looked up into blue eyes. "Who did this to you." Kaylee sputtered for an answer, but found none that she wanted to give to the alluring blonde. "Answer me, girl, don't make me spit in your next meal."

"It was Cordelia."

Fiona turned to watch Madison carefully, and she let out a breathless laugh as she shared a glance with the axeman. "My daughter."

"Yeah. She packs one hell of a punch."

"The only thing my daughter can do is fiddle with plants and occasionally see something she shouldn't." The Supreme stabbed a finger into the dirty blonde's chest. "And you're telling me that she threw a goddamned fireball at you?"

"A few goddamned fireballs," Madison bit back. "Yes. She's more powerful than you thought she was, Fiona."

"I don't know if I'm more surprised that she managed to bring up some flames, or that her aim's improved."

"She burned half my shoulder off!" Kaylee protested.

"You're right. I'm more impressed at her aim."

Madison stepped forward. "Don't you see what this could mean?" She asked, voiced tight.

"It doesn't mean anything, you blubbering fool. A witch shows more talents when she's in danger, when her coven is in danger." Fiona rounded on her. "And don't mention my successor. Because," She laughed again, extending her arms out. "There won't be one."

"Delia did that to you?"

The witches turned to Hank standing in the doorway, eyes wide and arms limp by his side. "My Delia?"

"God man, you sound pathetic when you say it like that." Fiona sighed, annoyed, and she reached for a cigarette, lighting it with a blink of her eyes. "When are you going to give up on her?"

"Never. I love her, Fiona."

"Like you love Kaylee?"

The redhead stiffened, and her fingers were suddenly at her temple as she rubbed at an old scar. Madison glanced sideways at her and then back at the man, glaring at the Supreme with all he had.

"I'll get her back, Fiona."

"So you say." The blonde raised her eyebrows. "So you've always said." She flicked her cigarette on the floor and watched the embers smolder.

OOOoooOOO

"What are we going to do then?"

"Hit them when it's dark. Their skin might be black but that doesn't make them immune to the shadows." The Supreme murmured back, finding the axeman's hand in the bedsheets. "We'll set fire to the city, and to the swamps. We'll get rid of the voodoo queen, and the phoenix while we're at it."

"She'll just come back."

"Who, Misty Day? Yes, I figure she would." Fiona paused. "But I also figure that losing Cordelia just might drive her mad."

OOOoooOOO

"Delia."

Cordelia opened her eyes in the darkness, blinking as she found herself blind, and turned her head to where the necromancer's voice had come from. "Mist? Why are you up?"

"Somethin's wrong."

"Wrong?" The alchemist sat up on her elbows, frowning. "Wrong how?"

"I don't know." She could hear the swamp queen rustling around, opening drawers and closing them again and moving papers. She caught a glimpse of blue-green eyes and blonde curls as Misty passed a window, turning to stare Cordelia down. "_Listen_."

Cordelia's gaze turned to the outside and she held her breath, before letting it out in a rush of air and sitting up properly. "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly." Misty hissed. "Somethin's off. Somethin' wrong." She reached for the door, but paused to glance back at the alchemist. "Stay here. Get dressed. But stay in here. Understood?" Cordelia nodded and the cajun left, whistling a sharp whistle into the night and calling for Clyde.

The older blonde reached for her skirt and her boots. The darkness didn't bother her, but now that the taller girl had mentioned it, the silence did. She debated on a shirt as her fingers ran over her healing chest and over her bra, but she winced as she pulled a sweater on anyway, trusting Misty.

As an after thought, she went to grab the knife that was in the bedside drawer, but found it already gone. With a clipped gasp she felt her way to the other drawers. All of them had been emptied over the floor. Misty had done what she was doing minutes before, she'd been looking for weapons.

She made her way to the doorway, the crescent moon hidden by partial clouds, barely highlighting the marshes. "_Mist_-?" She whispered hoarsely, blinking rapidly. No answer came, and she closed the door before finding her way to one of the windows, peering outside. She looked around, her nose practically to the glass, black eyes wide.

The forest was on fire.

Misty suddenly burst through the door and scrambled to her side to grab at her wrist, pulling her out of the shack.

"Misty, our stuff-!"

"Leave it, dammit Delia get your ass out of there!" The necromancer pushed Cordelia past her, glancing back as flames began licking up into the sky. Barely a hundred meters off, dangerous. And quick. The wind had picked up, dry and deadly. "Clyde, get her into open water." She snapped at the alligator.

"Misty, he's an _animal_!" Cordelia yelled.

"You follow that _fuckin'_ animal, Delia!" Misty roared back. "Go!"

"You-!"

"Trust me."

Cordelia paused, black eyes hard and staring into even harder blue-green ones. Misty was breathing hard, her hair wilder than ever, debate not a question. She nodded softly and turned to follow the swamp predator that had already started slithering away into the brambles.

She didn't know how long she waited in the swamp, with her skirt floating about her and the alligator hugging her side, tail wrapped around her waist, breaths baited. In the distance, trees fell and crackled and cracked and burst into flames, orange shadows thrown across the marshes.

She snapped her head back as someone fell into water besides her, suddenly grabbing at her. She fought, squealing, until Misty came out of the water, wet curls falling down her back. "Delia, Delia it's me."

"Misty, Misty what's going on."

"Do ya remember what we talked about? Impendin' war?"

Cordelia nodded, her hands shaking in Misty's grip.

"It's happenin'."

"No, Misty it's too early, it can't be." The alchemist hastily whispered back.

"We gotta get outta here. You're gonna freeze to death." Misty added, ignoring her, gazing around. "Ya need to think, where can we go?"

Cordelia stammered out sounds, trying to do what the necromancer was asking of her. "I, Myr- Kyle's old place." She finally said, clapping her hands together.

"Good girl." Misty kissed her on the forehead and began tugging her down the river. "Clyde, scout ahead."

OOOoooOOO

The Ninth Ward had so far escaped from the blazes, and Misty watched from the Spencer house's doorway out into the distance, knuckles white around the edges as another gust of wind blew her hair back and brought more smoke and ash.

It wouldn't take long for this part of their world to come crashing down too.

She turned around as she heard Cordelia walk behind her from the hallway into the living room, muttering to herself as she flipped the place upside down, looking for something. From outside the window she heard Clyde rumble and chirp, but she ignored it.

"Delia, what are ya lookin' for?" Misty asked, tightening her hold on her messenger bag, her gaze still locked with the flames in the sky.

"Keys. There's a car outside."

"Ya can drive?"

"I don't think we'll be stopped right now." The older blonde replied, throwing a basket over her shoulder, the newspapers inside falling to the floor. Misty turned to watch her, fidgeting with the edge of her shawl now.

"Please hurry. We need distance."

"I'm doing what I can." Cordelia assured her, her hands shaking.

The necromancer moved past her as she went to the kitchen. "I'll look in here."

"Grab food." The alchemist added, not looking up. She knew that if she did, her eyes would betray her fear. Hastily she added. "Dammit, Misty, we didn't have time to make a plan for this."

"Keep searchin', we'll worry about that later."

Cordelia nodded as best as she could, the palm of her hand absently running circles over her chest.

The screen door suddenly blew open and the older blonde's head whipped up, fingers tightening around a ceramic bowl left on the coffee table. The voice she heard next made her blood run like ice.

OOOoooOOO  
"Come on, stop squirming." Fiona rasped.

She dragged Marie Laveau out onto the street by her hair, the voodoo witch howling and raking her nails down pale arms. The Supreme ignored the lines of blood running down her hands as she threw the woman down onto the ground, towering over her.

"Not as powerful now, are you?" She asked, accent light as she smiled, teeth bared. "Do you hear that? That's the sound of your people _burning_."

Marie's eyes were wide, the fire reflected in her black eyes. Her voice was thick, broken. "They done _nothing_ to you."

"Yes they did. They followed you." Fiona corrected her. "This is what you get for upsetting the balance of things, voodoo queen." She outstretched her hands, the whole of New Orleans burning behind her. She laughed almost mockingly, now speaking down to the woman as if she were a child. "You don't kill someone and get away with it!"

"This is rather dramatic of a revenge, don't you think?" Marie stammered, struggling to sit up.

"Is it?" Fiona raised an eyebrow, her grin widening, hazel eyes bright. "I guess drastic measures need to be taken when you want to be master of the world." She prodded at the woman on the ground with the tip of her boot. "Maybe the world is a little ambitious. But one can dream." Marie bristled openly.

"The bitch had it coming."

Fiona smirked "Funny, that's what I told Joan Ramsey," She leaned in to whisper into Laveau's ear. "Before I slit her throat." She backed up. "After I'm done with you I'll find Myrtle Snow, hiding out somewhere in this burning maze, and then I'll be free to do whatever the hell I want without a hitch."

"And the phoenix?"

"Being taken care of as we speak." The Supreme replied, resting her hands at the dip of her back. "And even if she does come back, she'll do so in a wooden box. Or maybe I'll keep her chained up at the end of a leash. Of course it all depends if she's simply killed or," She let out a little laugh. "Torn to more pieces than I care to count."

"Let's make a deal."

"Why would I want to make a deal with you? You have nothing to offer me." The alluring blonde glanced back over her shoulder, Marie's home nothing more than a wooden frame now as it continued to burn. "Not anymore, anyway." She pulled her gloves on, and reached for the axe she'd dropped to the ground minutes before. "Let's get dirty."

OOOoooOOO

Cordelia's breathing was halted. "Hank."

"Hi baby."

She wanted to scream for Misty, but the man before her hadn't heard the necromancer rustling around in the kitchen, and now she was her only hope as she backed up into a bookcase, fingers still around the bowl she'd found.

"Hank." She repeated, a little louder this time, black eyes wide. He smiled at her from where he stood a few feet away, his Czech rifle trained to the ground.

He closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. "God I've missed you saying my name." He took a slow step forward and the alchemist tried her best to take one back, but wooden shelves dug into her back. "Why won't you come home?"

"It's not working between us anymore." She said softly, her lower lip trembling.

"I can change, Delia." The hunter said, now flush against her. "I love you, and I know I can change." His hand traveled down her arm and grabbed at the ceramic between her fingers, taking it and letting it drop to the ground. It bounced away and underneath the coffee table. "I can't let her have you. Now while I'm alive and breathing and while you're mine." He lifted her left hand to the forefront, his thumb tracing the outline of her wedding ring. "This means us, baby."

"No it doesn't." She bit back. And she instantly regretted it as his eyes turned cold and she felt the barrel of his weapon against her lower stomach.

"I'm giving you a choice here, Delia." He smiled, his teeth bared. There was no joy behind it. "One last chance to be happy. We can try for a baby again." He pushed the rifle deeper into her skin. She was bleeding.

"Hank-"

He suddenly received a rolling pin to the face, the backblow sending him crumbling to the ground as Misty towered above him, raising the object above her head and slamming it down against his skull.

Her wild blonde hair was getting stained with blood as she beat his face in, but she didn't stop to reconsider.

OOOoooOOO

"Is it done?"

Fiona nodded, pushing the hair away from her face before turning to meet cold grey eyes. The axeman grinned and pulled her to his body.

"What sweet victory." He rumbled.

It was much too warm with the fire roaring in the distance, and she pushed him away slightly. "Did you get it done?"

"Hung up and trussed like turkeys."

"And Myrtle?"

"Nowhere to be found, but she can't run for long." He assured her, his arms swinging with the weight of his axe. He turned on himself, admiring the chaos, breathing it in. "What a time to be alive, babydoll. You and I, ruling the smoldering ashes of a once manic city." He pointed with his instrument to the far side of the street, the darkest corner where the embers were beginning to smolder again. "I can see a bar there, I could play every night. It wouldn't be far from the Academy, the center of town. Especially if we're rebuilding around it." He paused. "Of course we'll need handymen, we'll have to wait for the fine people of New Orleans to come crawling back. I did enjoy their screams as Kaylee lit the first fire."  
He glanced back at Fiona, then frowned when she didn't meet his gaze. "What's wrong?"

"Oh darling." She let her hands rest on his strong shoulders. "I wish you could see it being rebuilt with me."

"What do you mean?"

His mouth fell open as the Supreme embedded a long shard of glass into his abdomen, slow and torturous.

"That's what I mean, you poor old fool." She breathed into his ear, twisting the blade, listening to his gasps tumble from his mouth. He fell forward onto his knees, his forehead resting on her stomach. She let her fingers run through his hair with a sigh.

He managed to stammer out. "I've loved you, since you were a little girl-"

"I know. And I couldn't have it." She cooed back, raising his chin to look into his eyes. "It's mine. _Not_ ours." She placed her finger on his collarbone and pushed until he fell backwards, staring up into oblivion.

With a grimace, she wiped at her hands on her black dress.

"Fiona."

She lifted her gaze and smiled softly. The Supreme didn't have to turn around to know who was staring at her from the broken sidewalk. "And here I thought Hank might be able to do me one last service. I must have been wrong." She twisted her neck back to look into black eyes. "Cordelia." She clicked her tongue. "Misty Day."

The wild blonde said nothing, her hand screwed tight around the back of the alchemist's shirt, her face matted with blood and her hands bruised.  
"You look torn up, phoenix. What got him? A chair?" She mocked. "A well placed gator?"

"Kitchen utensils."

The Supreme laughed lightly, crossing her arms. "Never send a man to do a woman's job. I should have listened to my mother after all. Oh don't look at me like that, Delia. What else did you expect from this?"

"Where are the girls. Where's Myrtle."

"How should I know?" Fiona grimaced. "Not here. I can tell you that. Madison saw the first lick of a flame and she scampered out like the coward she is. I'm guessing Kaylee is somewhere around here. Look for an explosion, she won't be far ahead." She let her arms fall and shrugged. "Give up, Cordelia. You won't win this. You're outnumbered."

"It's just you."

"I count for seven." The woman smirked. With a flick of her wrist, she called the shard of glass to her grasp. "Do you think your lover will be able to save you if I kill you where you stand, and kill her next? Or should I do her first? If I remember correctly from our last encounter, it takes a little while for her to come back." She began to circle the couple. "I'd see both your heads mounted on my wall."

"What wall, Fiona? Look around you. You've destroyed _everything_. There are no more walls. No more places to cower and hide and plot. You're not one to act on the spot, but I'd like to see you try. Kill us. Do it." Cordelia said evenly. "Kill me."

"Is that an invitation?" Fiona raised an eyebrow, her smile not fading. "I'd take a step back, Miss Day. This might get ugly."

The necromancer surged forward, but the older blonde grabbed her by the wrist, holding her by her side. "Don't tease, mother. Do it. Throw it."

Fiona cocked her head to the side as she played with the jagged edges of the blade. She shrugged. "If you insist." She let her arm fly back and Misty reached for the alchemist.

"Delia no-!"

Blood poured out of Fiona Goode's mouth, sputtering black over her dress, the liquid melting into the front and disappearing into the fabric.

She turned, threatening to stumble to her knees, an axe in her back and a question in her eyes as she stared the axeman down.

He'd stood, and smiled softly. "Together forever, baby doll."

She let out a little cry, falling forward into his outstretched arms. They fell down to the ground.

"Cordelia, Delia are ya-"

"Misty."

The necromancer took the older blonde's chin in her hands and raked her eyes over her body, looking for nicks or cuts, her hands scrambling over and down before travelling back up and embracing the woman to her, hugging her tight. She felt hot tears dot her chest where Cordelia lay. "It's gonna be okay, Delia. I promise ya."

The Supreme was dead.

And it began to rain.

**_Part III has been written!_**


	3. Hometown Glory

**Here we are, the last installement to National Anthem. Enjoy!**

**Thanks to Grace for beta-ing!**

**Rated T**

**National Anthem Part III: Hometown Glory**

"Misty."

Blue-green eyes were open and gazing into black ones.  
Cordelia's voice was almost accusatory. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Yes." The necromancer paused, moving to be impossibly closer to the older blonde. "No." She rested her forehead on the woman's. "I don't know." Cordelia laughed lightly, tightening her hold on Misty's hands.

The wild blonde smiled into their kiss, the sun lighting both their hair on fire as she deepened their embrace, her tattooed hand falling beneath the white duvet.

They'd been hiding out inside the academy for days. It'd been empty when they'd crawled to it during the storm, both exhausted, the Victorian home black with soot but otherwise safe and sound.

They'd taken Cordelia's old room and slept for the longest time, covers thrown at the bottom of the bed and with their arms and legs entangled, breathing softly against each other's skin as they let their hearts fall back to their casual rhythm. As they dreamed the bad memories away.

The swamp queen had stolen away during the night a day or two before and boarded up Fiona's room, a request of Cordelia's that she accomplished while the alchemist slept away, fingers straining to find the necromancer's body on the bed. Misty'd returned to Cordelia mewling in her sleep, desperate to find her, and she'd crawled in behind the older blonde, embracing her tightly. She'd quieted down almost immideatly, turning slightly to give access to her neck as Misty kissed down her jawline reassuringly.

Black eyes opened again to study the necromancer, and Misty couldn't help the blush that crept up her cheeks as her fingers brushed against sharp hipbones. Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Do ya mind?"

The alchemist pushed into her touch. "Never."

Satisfied with the answer, Misty kissed her again, placing little nips at her jaw like she knew Cordelia liked, tugging her closer, her leg sliding between the alchemist's.

"I love you, you know that?"

Misty pulled away and grinned.

"And I'm not saying that just because you alpha-ed my ex-husband."

The necromancer growled at the mention of him and bit at a stray shoulder. Cordelia yipped beneath her, but didn't push her away, instead anchoring her fingers in wild blonde curls as Misty continued down her collarbone. She let out a little gasp, cut off by the grip Misty had at the base of her throat, straying down to rest on her scars.

"Miss Fox?" A sun kissed haired boy paused in the doorway, a blush running up his neck and to his ears as he brought his hand up to cover his eyes. He shifted uncomfortably. "Miss Fox. Miss Fox, clothes."

"Kyle, oh my goodness, Kyle, you're home!" The headmistress gently pushed Misty off of her and reached for her nightgown. "Kyle, it's alright, I'm dressed."

The boy let his arm fall to his side and he grinned at the woman. "Miss Fox."

She smiled back, her hands resting on his cheeks. "Yeah, it's me. Is Zoe here? With you?"

He nodded. "Downstairs. With Mr Gator." He peaked around her and waved shyly at Misty, who'd pulled the covers up to her chest. "Hello Miss Bear."

"Hey Kyle." She grinned back warmly.

"Lots of fire. We thought you-" He paused, worry in his eyes.

"We're fine, darling." Cordelia stressed. "See? Nothing hurt." Misty's bruised hands dove underneath the bedsheets.

"Is Miss Goode...?"

"We'll talk about that later, alright? Let's go see Zoe."

The young man nodded and left the room to stand in the hallway, waiting for the alchemist to pull on proper attire.

Ever since being brought back from an unfortunate incident, the boy had had difficulties, but Zoe Benson had nursed him back to health, and had helped him talk again, and even if his speech was still broken and simple, he easily got his point across. Kyle could be easily angered, upset, and the results were never pretty. But he tried so hard, and did his best, and he was happy. And to Cordelia, that was all that mattered.

"Come on, Mist, get something on."

The necromancer nodded, kissed Cordelia briefly, and crossed to her pile of clothes on the floor to do as she was told.

Zoe was waiting by the front door, a bag on the floor by her feet, an errant alligator sniffing at it. She turned at the sounds of footsteps in the staircase and smiled brightly.

"Miss Cordelia! You're safe!"

The alchemist crossed to her and let her eyes do a once over before pulling the girl into a tight embrace. "So are you. Thank god." She breathed out. "I know you were supposed to be back days ago," The older blonde took Zoe's hands in hers. "But I'm glad you two were late." She glanced at Kyle, and added in a whisper. "Things got really bad here."

"We noticed, walking into the city limits. But it was on purpose. Myrtle sent us a dove, she asked us to stay away. We thought it was on your orders."

Cordelia shook her head, but smiled softly as she hugged the girl to her again. "I'm just glad you're safe." She turned to take Kyle's hand in hers. "The both of you. You must be starving."

Kyle nodded enthusiastically.

They sat around the kitchen table, relatively close to each other and Cordelia and Misty watched as the two teenagers snacked on fruits and bread.

Finally, Zoe spoke, her eyes cast down. "Fiona pulled quite a number on this place." Next to her, Kyle bristled openly at the late Supreme's name.

"Yes, she did. But she's gone now, and that's all that matters." Cordelia said softly, rubbing circles into the girl's back. "We're going to rebuild this place up from the ground, you'll see."

"Who's going to be Supreme." Kyle blurted out. "Miss Fox? Next Supreme?"

"I-" Cordelia shared a glance with Misty. "We haven't thought about that, to be honest. We haven't done much thinking." She felt the necromancer's hand soothe her knee underneath the table. "We'll figure it out."

"The Coven needs a Supreme. We need to find one, to get this place started up again." Zoe murmured. "We can't run without a leader."

"Miss Fox leader."

"Thank you, Kyle. But Zoe's right. We need a Supreme." The oldest blonde let her forehead rest in her hands. She looked up at Zoe. "Do you know where Myrtle is then?"

"No idea. She didn't give me a return address. All I know is that Nan and Luke are with her." The girl bit her lip. "I think Quentin and Pembroke-" She broke off. "I don't think they made it, Miss Cordelia."

The alchemist sighed through her nose. "It'll be alright, Zoe. I promise you." She glanced up at the ceiling. "We can put you back in your old room, if you'd like. There's two beds still, Kyle can stay with you."

"Thank you." Zoe nodded.

OOOoooOOO

"How are we gonna find her?"

Cordelia turned to Misty and leaned heavily on the greenhouse counter.

"Who?"

"The Supreme. Everyone's been scattered. We don't know where Myrtle is and we don't even know if the council is still alive." The necromancer laid her hands on Cordelia's waist, her blue-green eyes studying the scar on her chest, her blouse having fallen open. "How do ya plan to do this?"

"I have no idea." Cordelia admitted, resting her forehead on Misty's. "I have no clue. None. I wasn't trained for this. I was trained by my mother to kill and maim and hurt and possibly heal. Not to find her successor."

"I'll help all I can." Misty promised softly, her fingers running up and down the alchemist's sides. "Though I don't know how I will, I'll fess up to that." The headmistress laughed lightly. "Are ya gonna tell Zoe?"

"That I don't have a plan?" Cordelia bit her lip. "I don't know. Probably not now. Maybe never. It depends if it goes well. It won't. Let's be honest, I have as much chance of finding the Supreme as finding a unicorn in the closet."

"Well, maybe not a unicorn, but a gator, sure."

Misty received a light nudge on the arm.

"Will you help me clean up?" The necromancer nodded and began picking up shards of glass from the floor, her boots crunching on the remains as Cordelia wiped the counter down with a rag.

They stayed in relative silence, Misty's stray hands touching skin whenever it showed, the older blonde taking in sharp breaths when she did, but loving the feel of her cold fingers on her burning skin too much to ask her to stop. She murmured as she worked, putting away plants and saying their names as she did, and she knew the necromancer was listening intently to the Latin that fell from between her lips.

They both turned as the backdoor to the greenhouse opened, Misty's hand tightening around the glass she held. Cordelia raised her hand, the tip of her fingers beginning to spark a flame.

"No, no please don't!"

"_Madison_?" The alchemist's hand dropped to her side, but Misty kept hers up.

"Tell your girl to back off, _please_."

"Tell her yourself. What are you doing here?" The older blonde asked, voice pitched somewhere between relief and fear.

"I, I have nowhere to go." The young telekinetic stammered. "I'm sorry, about everything. Please." She gazed frantically between the two women. "I didn't know what I was doing and I had no choice, Fiona was going to kill me if I didn't do exactly as she asked-" She paused as the wild blonde took a step forward to stand before her, towering above her. "I-what are you doing?" Hazel eyes gazed up into blue-green ones, confused.

Madison Montgomery tittered dangerously as the back of Misty's hand connected with her jaw. She spit out blood, breathing heavily in gasps as she tried to comprehend what had happened.

Misty raised her head up with the tip of her fingers, her hand on her swelling cheek and pulled her into an embrace, crushing her tight against her. Madison buried her head in her neck, sobs racking her body as she began to cry earnestly.

"I'm glad ya got your head outta your ass."

OOOoooOOO

Madison drank from her glass greedily, her hazel eyes wide as she steadily finished the water inside, some dribbling down her chin and onto her neck, wetting the scarf there. Cordelia took the glass from her hand and played with the edge, fingers tapping it thoughtfully.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Lots. Thank you." Madison looked away. "I'm sorry for barging in like this." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I can't apologize enough for all the shit I've done. For following Fiona and for watching you burn and for attacking you the other night." She wiped her nose with the palm of her hand, sniffing loudly, her eyes rimmed red.

"You were pulled into something you were much too young for." Cordelia shook her head. "You followed orders blindly, as so many of us did. I did once, and Misty too." Besides her, the necromancer clicked her tongue, annoyed. "You have a place in the Coven." She paused. "The new Coven."

"Thank you, Cor-" Madison paused, and shook her head, grimacing. "Miss Cordelia. Thank you. I feel horrible. You were my teacher and I turned my back on you." She looked up into blue-green eyes. "And you, Misty. I wanted to be friends, when you first came. I swear to you. But Fiona..." She trailed off.

"I got ya."

The girl nodded gratefully.

"You have to answer me something." The alchemist sat down by the dirty blonde and took her hands in hers. "Madison, where's Kaylee?"

The dirty blonde closed her eyes. "I had to leave her behind. We were hiding in the forest and she ventured out and I watched Hank shoot her and I couldn't help her." She began to cry again, doing her best to hide behind her hand, her breathing halted and panted. Misty's hand came to rest on her shoulder and she dug circles into her skin, grimacing at the alchemist. "He saw me there. I know he did. What's going to happen if he comes to find me?"

"Hank's been taken care of. You don't have to worry about him anymore." Cordelia assured her. "And I'm terribly sorry about Kaylee. This war...This war took too many lives."

The girl sniffed pitifully, nodding her head heavily.

Misty nudged her. "Ya look like ya need sleep. Let's go take a nap, yeah? And then we'll go see Zoe and Kyle when you're up and runnin' properly."

Madison looked up, visibly shaken. "They're here?"

"Yeah."

"Oh god." The dirty blonde let her head fall.

"They'll forgive you, Madison. There's no worry there." Cordelia said gently. Madison nodded and let herself be tugged out of the kitchen by Misty, a protective arm around her shoulder.

OOOoooOOO

"I'm glad the Kyle and Zoe are back. I'm glad Madison came to us." Misty shifted in the bed to gaze up at Cordelia in the dark, her hands tight around the alchemist's waist. "But I really enjoyed just spending time with you in this place, without being judged or watched." The alchemist let her fingers tighten around Misty's. "I guess I wanted to spend a few more threatless days with you. Is that selfish?"

"No." The necromancer breathed back. "I feel the same." She placed her forehead on a bare shoulder. "Don't ya worry, soon we'll have found us a new Supreme and we'll go back to our swamp."

"Misty-" Cordelia paused. "Misty, the swamps burned."

"I may be a marsh rat, but I'm still a witch, Delia." The wild blonde grinned up at her. "I enchanted the place with that one spell Myrtle showed me a year ago. The swamps burned, but not our place." She shrugged. "Of course, the whole area is a real hazard now, but we still have our home."

Cordelia smiled at her and bent down to nuzzle her nose with the necromancer's. "You're a genius."

"So you've said." Misty kissed her softly. "I like your midnight musings. And now I'll never miss them again."

"What do you mean?"

"I won't have to go out no more. Fiona's gone." The necromancer whispered. "The threats are gone. I'll sleep by ya every night." Cordelia grinned brightly and fit her lips to the necromancer's.

They both turned as there was a light knock to the door. It opened slowly, a curly blonde head poking through.

"Kyle." Cordelia breathed out. She sat up and hugged her knees, watching him in the darkness. "What is it?"

"I-" He paused and scrunched his nose, thinking. "Dark."

"Yeah." Misty smiled from besides the alchemist, still lying besides the older blonde and with her arm beneath her head. "I hate the dark too."

The boy nodded, waiting, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Defeated, Cordelia lifted the covers on their bed. "Come on, get in."

He grinned widely and glanced over his shoulder, nodding into the shadows.

Zoe and Madison followed him into the room as Misty giggled, Cordelia's mouth dropping open as the three of them clambered up onto the bed.

The girls broke the necromancer and her lover apart, settling between them as Kyle curled up at the bottom of the mattress, gazing at the four of them with dark eyes.

"Are you-" Cordelia paused to close her eyes. "I swear if one of you snores, you're sleeping on the floor."

OOOoooOOO

The necromancer and the alchemist roused early, untangling themselves from Madison's death grip and leaving their wards to their bed to be woken by the sun filtering through the curtains, and stole downstairs, hand in hand as they walked through the white walled academy. They stopped by the kitchen but ultimately decided to eat breakfast in the ancestor room.

They sat close to each other on the couch even though they had plenty of room, and Misty brought her knees up to her chest as Cordelia let her head drop to her shoulder. They ate silently as the sun rose outside and finally broke through the heavy smoke that had accumulated after the fire.

Misty raised her hand up in the air, and she saw a smile tugging on Cordelia's lips as she too rose her hand to intertwine their fingers. The necromancer leaned in and pressed a kiss to the woman's temple. "Traditions aren't meant to be broken." The alchemist laughed beneath her, pushing her back as the wild blonde made herself heavier on purpose. Misty giggled as the older blonde struggled, and let her fingers fall to her sides, beginning to tickle her.

"No, don't do that-Misty-" Her name fell out in a whine as Cordelia tried to wriggle away, failing as Misty grabbed her around the waist and tugged her back to her side. She received a sound kiss and she laughed into it, nipping at the necromancer's bottom lip in bouts of revenge. But the wild blonde only spurred her on, her fingers reaching for the ties at the bottom of her blouse.

Cordelia's hand found hers. "Mist, the girls, Kyle-"

"They're sleepin' like rocks." Misty reassured her, kissing her again. The alchemist nodded softly and fit her lips to the necromancer's sweetly, before raising her head.

"Did you hear that?"

"Are ya gonna go all paranoid on me?" The wild blonde grinned.

"No, I'm not joking."

The wild blonde sat up and glanced over her shoulder, a frown on her face, and after a moment she spoke, her voice soft. "There's a bird at the window."

"A bird?"

"Delia. It's a dove."

The headmistress cursed silently and stood up, buttoning her shirt back up as she walked to the other side of the room, Misty watching her. Cordelia turned halfway as she worked to open the window. "She's alive, Misty." The necromancer nodded, chewing on her bottom lip as she jiggled her leg up and down.

Unable to wait, the wild blonde stood and joined Cordelia at the window, leaning on the wall as she looked over the woman's shoulder. Lithe fingers undid the lip of the envelope and they both held their breaths as they read the neat handwriting, the letter shaking in the alchemist's hands.

OOOoooOOO

The headmistress's breathing was uneven, not out of fear or breathlessness, but in excitement as she walked down the academy steps and into Myrtle Snow's arms, tears falling down her cheeks as Misty followed slowly behind, leaving ample space and time for her to grieve as the redhead rubbed smooth circles over her back.

"Oh Cordelia dear, it appeases my wretched soul to see you alive and well." Myrtle cried, hugging her tight. "Misty darling, approach." The necromancer did as she was told and let herself be swept away in the witch's embrace, Cordelia's tears subsiding as she was enveloped by her true mother and the woman she loved.

Finally, the alchemist broke away, brushing at the streaks on her cheeks, and turned to the two teenagers waiting at the gates. She held out her hand. "Come here, you two."

Nan walked to her side, seemingly shy but happy to be home, and briefly hugged Cordelia before sharing a rough handshake with Misty, the older girl grinning down at her.

But Luke Ramsey stayed by the wall, leaning heavily with his hand, his light eyes staring up at the mansion, unsure. His nose flared as he gazed up thoughtfully.

"Luke. There's nothing to be afraid of." Cordelia tried softly. "No one's going to hurt you here."

"You can promise me that?" He asked. "No more deaths?"

"A Coven is a home. I can promise you, nothing will happen to you. Not with me around." He nodded and followed Nan's footsteps, and let the necromancer put a comforting arm around his shoulder as he sighed heavily.

Myrtle didn't complain when Misty served her a simple sandwich, looking rather content with the concept of eating itself. Nan tried to eat delicately, but Luke wolfed down his lunch, barely glancing up as he did so.

The redhead tapped at her mouth with a handkerchief before speaking. "We were on the run for three days before the city burned. What has transpired?"

Cordelia's answer was immediate. "She's dead."

"Who?"

"All of them." The alchemist's black eyes were hard. "Delphine, Joan, Marie." She paused. "Mother."

Myrtle looked away, sunlight reflecting in her cat eye glasses.

"The generation is over, Auntie Myrtle." Cordelia added. "Gone. Along with its shadows running along the walls. The axeman is dead and the Lalauries and-"

"Hank?"

The older blonde stiffened.

"Yeah." Misty answered. She'd stayed in the corner of the room. "Yeah, he's gone." Cordelia glanced back at her, but didn't have anything to add.

"I am the last of my time." The redhead laughed lightly. "I didn't think I'd live to see the day."

"What about Quentin, Myrtle?" Cordelia pressed. "Pembroke?"

Myrtle sighed heavily.

"They were caught in the crossfire." Luke answered quietly. He closed his eyes, as if to shut the images away.

The witches bowed their heads.

After a silent moment, Myrtle spoke. "We need a council."

"What we need is a Supreme, first and foremost." Cordelia corrected her.

"Are you suggesting a test of the Seven Wonders?"

"I'm not suggesting anything. I don't even know if the Supreme is in this academy, let alone this state."

The redhead paused. "She could be."

"And she couldn't."

"One of you needs to rise to the occasion."

Cordelia could feel Misty's gaze on the back of her neck.

OOOoooOOO

The headmistress's fingers were intertwined with Misty's, but their bodies weren't touching as the rain outside fell in torrents.

Madison and Zoe had stolen into their bed again, gotten between them, the storm outside their reason to be inside the alchemist's bedroom. Kyle lay at their feet, looking up at them with dark eyes. The three jumped in fright whenever thunder broke out, and Cordelia had to stop herself from doing the same.

But Misty's voice soothed them as she embarked them into a story, Kyle having asked for one as he'd clambered up onto the bed. Zoe was already fast asleep, curled up into Misty's side and breathing lightly, and Madison was following quickly, her hands gripping at Cordelia's sides tight as she fought to keep her hazel eyes open, to hear the end of the necromancer's tale.

"He was real young. Like, two, three months old and I couldn't just leave him there, ya know? He was a being that needed a chance at life. It wasn't his fault he'd gotten shot." The necromancer continued silently. "I brought him and his sisters back and I sent them on their way. Two weeks later, that lug was back, askin' in. So I fed him for a few days and shooed him out again but he just kept comin' round. So I told him to just stick with me, and he did." She laughed lightly. "He can speak, ya know? At least to me. He tells me the darndest things." She turned to watch a small smile spread on Cordelia's lips. "We're at team. And he's an asshole. But he's mine."

Madison laughed tiredly against Cordelia, succumbing to sleep a few seconds later.

The alchemist felt her own eyelids get heavy and Misty squeezed her fingers a little tighter.

From the end of the bed, Kyle's voice floated in a whisper. "Another story, Miss Bear."

"Ya should sleep."

"Not tired."

"I think ya are, you're basically snorin'."

He shook his head violently, but yawned as she grinned.

"Come on, darlin', tucker down."

OOOoooOOO

"Myrtle's right, ya know."

Cordelia turned to watch Misty. The wild blonde had nuzzled into her neck as soon as the girls and Kyle had woken and left, and she'd let her tattooed fingers wander against smooth skin. "What do you mean?"

"We're gonna have to find a Supreme. From the pool of us here."

The alchemist frowned softly and turned in Misty's arms to face her properly. "Queenie's still missing."

"I know, Delia." The necromancer's blue-green eyes studied her, trailing down her neck to glance at her scar before looking up. "But we can't wait long. Threats will come right back. We need a leader."

"We can't just pick someone." The older blonde sighed. "A Supreme is a Supreme because she is worthy." Misty chewed on her bottom lip, barely healed.

"You're sayin' no one's worthy?"

"No. I don't know. I don't know how it works, I never did. I've never seen a witch perform the Seven Wonders." Cordelia smiled as she kissed Misty lightly. "Who knows, maybe it's you."

"Or ya."

The alchemist's shoulders fell a little and she shook her head as her black eyes closed. "No. No I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"I'm not much good at anything, Mist."

"That's bullshit. Ya got fire in your fingetips." The necromancer punctuated her words by taking Cordelia's hand in hers. "Ya can see things no one else can."

"Not on purpose." The older blonde whispered back. "Never on purpose. They come and go, you know that. And the flames...Only in times of danger. I could snap my fingers now and nothing would happen. I'm not the next Supreme, Misty." She let her lips hover above the necromancer's, who licked her own with her tongue. "But I'd stake my life that it's you, if it's anyone."

"Don't."

"I do." Cordelia murmured. "You've got more power than anyone here. I've seen it. Resurgence. Transmutation. Mind control." The wild blonde tilted her head at that, and the alchemist bit her jaw at the opportunity. "Don't think I didn't notice the dogs."

Misty laughed lightly and turned onto her back to look up at the ceiling, Cordelia resting her head on her chest.

"Even if I'm in line for the title, I don't want it." The necromancer said quietly. She let her fingers run through her lover's hair. "Not when I've seen what it can do."

"Would you deny it?"

"I can't. I said I don't want it. Not that I wouldn't take it." She paused. "I wouldn't have much of a choice, anyway. Ya can't say no, ya just said so."

"You'd be wonderful." Cordelia assured her with a kiss to her collarbone.

"Yeah?"

The older blonde nodded, smiling softly.

"So would ya."

"Mist-"

"Stop." The necromancer scooted down the bed to face Cordelia properly. "Just stop." Cordelia opened her mouth to protest, but Misty kissed her numb, pinching lightly at her hip. She pulled away momentarily. "I'd follow ya anywhere, ya understand that? There's no better leader than ya. It doesn' matter who wears the damn crown." She laughed lightly into the alchemist's neck, her fingers raking down the woman's tattoos. "Fuck the Supreme."

"_Misty_."

OOOoooOOO

"We thought you dead."

"You could have checked."

Cordelia shifted in her seat, but Misty answered for her. "I did. The whole place burned down. There was nothin' left but ash. Ya can't blame us for not findin' anythin'."

"We all got out." Queenie replied. "Marie got us all out. The tribe is hiding out in Georgia, with some friends."

"Then you can stay here, Queenie, until they come back. This is your home." The older blonde said gently.

The black girl shook her head. "No offense, Miss Cordelia, but your mother ran me out. And even though she's dead-" The alchemist winced. "-I still don't feel safe."

"I'm sorry you feel like that." Cordelia sighed. "What will you do?"

"I'm going to rebuild our tribe. Marie would have wanted it that way."

"That's quite the challenge."

"You think I can't?" Queenie asked, nose flaring.

"Hey, calm down." Misty frowned. "Ya know exactly that that's not what she meant. She's worried 'bout ya, okay?" Cordelia glanced back at her.

Queenie slumped in her seat. "I'm sorry. So much has happened in the last few weeks, I don't really know what to think."

The headmistress took her hand and smiled softly. "Whatever you choose to do, I'm fully behind you. We all are. If you rebuild your tribe, you'll still have a place here. If you need help, we'll be glad to give it. And until you go back, you can stay here. We have enough space."

"Thank you."

It was a joyous occasion when Nan and Luke walked into the ancestor room, finding the voodoo witch sitting on the couch. Hasty hugs were given and whispers and laughs were exchanged as Misty and Cordelia watched from their corner of the room.

"The Coven's back."

Cordelia glanced up at the necromancer and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah it is." She paused. "But Queenie's backpack-"

"-Is rather small." Misty finished. "I noticed."

"She's not staying."

"No she ain't."

"Nan's going to be devastated."

The wild blonde _tssk_ed.

The next morning, Queenie stood at the front door, Nan at her side and not letting go of her sleeve.

"You can't go!" The clairvoyant cried out. "You just came back, you can't go now!"

"I have to. Voodoo needs to go on, and I'm the only one who can do it. Miss Cordelia and I talked extensively last night and it's the best thing to do. I'll visit, Nan, don't worry. I wouldn't forget to."

"Let me help."

Misty shared a glance with Cordelia, who'd glanced up and frozen.

"I-" The voodoo witch looked to the headmistress, who grimaced in response, unsure of what to say.

The dark haired girl turned to the alchemist, pleading. "Please, she's going to need people, she can't do everything by herself. Please let me."

Cordelia opened her mouth to respond, but Misty beat her to it.

"Ya can go."

Nan turned to the necromancer, her voice joining the headmistress's.

"What?"

"Go. We can't stop ya." Misty shrugged.

Queenie grinned, and the clairvoyant paused. "I should go tell Luke."

"Ya should."

OOOoooOOO

Madison and Zoe chewed quietly, sitting besides each other at the dinner table, Kyle wolfing down his own plate with his hands across from them both. Myrtle watched with a certain grimace on her face as Misty tried to hide her own grin, her hand resting on the alchemist's thigh.

Cordelia paused. "It's quiet tonight."

"Why, because Nan isn't here to talk our ears off?" The dirty blonde asked, eyes down on her potatoes. She glanced up as the room fell silent, and gave a sheepish look around the table. "Sorry."

"You're right, in a way." Zoe said gently. "We've gone down two people. Out of eight, that's a lot. It's very empty." Madison let her hand rest on the younger girl's a moment before bringing it back to her lap.

"I hate to be the one to bring this up at the dinner table," Myrtle began, delicately posing her fork in her plate. "But Cordelia dear, a Supreme needs to be found." Kyle groaned, letting his shoulders slump as he stared down his soup. Misty smiled at him despite herself.

"This is no laughing matter." The redhead said. "A Coven without a Supreme is a man with a broken leg and no crutch. Or a fisher without a boat." She heard Madison mutter an "_Oh lord_" but barely glanced at her.

"We need to hold the Seven Wonders."

"Myrtle, I'd rather talk about this in private." Cordelia clipped.

"Not when the ones to take the tests are sitting in this room. I apologize for my indiscretion, but they deserve to know."

The oldest blonde let out a little sigh as she rubbed at the bridge of her nose. "You're right."

"So we're doing it?" Zoe asked, eyes wide. "We're doing the Seven Wonders? Without Queenie or Nan?"

"They left to do voodoo across town." Madison reminded her with a grimace. "They wouldn't have enough time to be both the Supreme and stick needles into dolls."

"We'll hold them this Friday." Cordelia finally said. "All of us." She felt Misty's nails dig into her skin. "And we'll hold them in order from least dangerous to most. I don't want to lose any of you. Not again."

OOOoooOOO

"Madison, your Seven Wonders are over."

"On the first trial." The dirty blonde threw her arm out angrily. "That's fucking embarassing."

Zoe scrunched her nose. "You never were good at finding things. Even your own." Madison threw a "_fuck off_" her way before sitting down heavily into the chair at the end of the salon and reaching for a cigarette.

Cordelia let out a little sigh of relief. "You're safe. That's all that matters."

"To you, maybe."

"The Supremacy is nothing to wish for, Madison."

"So you've said." The girl muttered back. "But it'd have been pretty awesome." Misty shot her a warning look, and she looked away, blushing hard.

"You are talented." Kyle assured her in a whisper.

They steadily moved through the Seven Wonders, Zoe failing to transmutate and Myrtle being unable to bring back the dead bird before her. Both Misty and Cordelia passed through onto the last two, pyrokinesis the last before Descensum.

But Misty failed as the fireplace roared besides them, blowing out of proportion as she tried to light the candles before her. The others moved out of the way as Cordelia contained the fire, blushing as Misty nodded her head in a show of thanks.

"You stand last, Delia."

The headmistress shifted her weight from foot to foot awkwardly.

"Supreme." Kyle beamed at her.

"She could very well fail." Myrtle reminded him.

"But if she fails Descensum, then-" Zoe paused, unable to finish her sentence. The necromancer besides her paled noticeably.

"Wait one second, what happens if she fails?" Misty blurted. She turned to face the alchemist. "Delia, what happens?"

"If I fail," Cordelia took a little breath. "If I fail, I don't come back."

"That was _not_ mentioned." The wild blonde snapped. "Ya didn't tell me that."

"I didn't want to worry you."

"Well _now_ I'm fuckin' worried!"

"Misty Day." Myrtle Snow stopped her from taking a step towards the older blonde. "The Seven Wonders have begun, they must be finished. Terminated."

"This is bullshit!"

"She must go on."

Misty's nose flared as she looked the older redhead up and down, hands balled into fists as she breathed in and out heavily. She wrenched her wrist away.

OOOoooOOO

"Cordelia Goode. I knew we would see each other again."

"Papa."

The Ioa smiled wickedly, tapping his cane on the floor as he circled around her. "You are here as Supreme."

She watched him carefully, and corrected him softly. "Attempting to be."

"I have you to thank for my new souls."

"I didn't do anything but let the course of fate happen." She replied. "All of this was your plan, and it worked. I hope you're happy."

He grinned as she grimaced, red eyes glowing with mirth. "This will be hard."

"What?"

"Your hell." Papa Legba announced. He held up his hand, and out of dust Fiona Goode was made, the alluring blonde standing tall and glaring down at her daughter. "It has changed many times in the last months." Fiona disappeared in a cloud of ash and in turn fires began licking up her body. She gasped, but it was cold to the touch. The flames were doused with a wave of Papa Legba's fingers. From the shadows, Hank's eyes watched her. "I have chosen what lays in the darkest parts of your heart."

She breathed evenly, but knew the demon could hear her heart beat wildly from where he was.

"Let us see what you can do, _Supreme_." He bowed mockingly.

She turned, following him, and he disappeared through a door that had not been there before. She glanced back over her shoulder, and froze. She stood in the academy's ancestor room, the fire roaring besides her, alone.

Her hands were sticky and she glanced down.

Sticky with blood.

She let out a little yelp as she frantically wiped them down on her skirt, turning her fingers a light magenta as her clothes darkened. Her heels clacked on the white wood as she left the salon and walked into the hallways, finding bloody handprints on the walls. She hovered her hands over them, and grimaced as they fit evenly.

She continued to walk, following the prints that came down the hallway and tilted her head up, following them with her eyes as they climbed up the staircase, the bannister stained red. She paused as she passed a mirror, her reflection catching her eye.

How old had she turned? Wrinkles that hadn't ever been there before lined her face and she looked warier than she'd ever been.

Shaking her head, Cordelia continued up the stairs. She wasn't afraid of growing old, so why had she?

She tripped on a step and fell to her knees hard, her breath knocked out of her at the sheer thought of falling. She climbed up to the second floor gingerly, her ears listening intently, her own breath halted. But the academy was silent. She followed drops of red all the way to her room, and paused in front of her door, closed but for an inch.

She entered the room slowly, gasps wrenched out of her throat. She brought her hand to her mouth to stop herself from screaming, but found her fingers grasped around something already.

A scream tore out of her.

OOOoooOOO

"I became exactly what I've been running from all my life."

Misty gazed up, her fingers stilling against Cordelia's ivory skin.  
The Supreme had come back from Hell shaking and screaming and crying and even the necromancer hadn't been able to calm her down for close to an hour, even though she held her tight and whispered into her hair and even as the other members of the Coven crowded close, offering support.

She hadn't slept that night, and Misty had felt her black eyes on her the entire time she slept on and off, dozing even though she tried hard not to.

These were the first coherent words the alchemist had uttered, close to twenty four hours later.

Misty hoisted herself up the bed to be eye level with the woman and she took her fingers in hers, but she didn't say anything, giving Cordelia time and space.

"There was a lot of blood. You never really know how much blood there is until you see it, you know?"

The wild blonde nodded, Cordelia's gaze still so far away. She tilted her face to look at Misty and her question went unanswered, but the necromancer heard it vibrate through her soul. She climbed up the mattress another foot and Cordelia burrowed into her chest, fingernails leaving marks in the wild blonde's back.

OOOoooOOO

"I have somethin' for ya."

Cordelia glanced up at Misty, smiling as she set her cup of tea down.

"But first, let me tell ya," The necromancer bent down to kiss her lover. "The Supremacy suits ya real well." The alchemist blushed, her fingers trailing down the girl's jaw.

"That's sweet of you."

"Hmm." Misty sat down besides her, reaching over to take a swig from the woman's cup. "Ya got some time?"

"I have a few things to do, but for you, always." Cordelia cocked her head to the side. "As long as you have me home for midnight."

"Ya got it." The wild blonde grinned,stood, and held out her hand for the Supreme to take. The older woman took it graciously and followed her out of the academy and out into the street, the two ignoring the stares they got from the newer students roaming Robichaux's ancient halls, Misty tugging her to the edge of the city and into the swamps.

Cordelia gasped silently as she found their home in full bloom. Trees were charred here and there but their garden was flowering and alive and she turned to look back at Misty, who'd paused at the edge of the clearing, smiling softly.

"How did you-?"

"It took me a few days. I slipped away while ya were busy." The necromancer ambled to her side. "Kyle and the girls helped. The roses are his." She added, wrapping her arms around the woman's waist, peppering kisses into her neck.

Cordelia couldn't help the tears that formed at the corner of her eyes.

"It's beautiful."

"Beautiful enough to get married in?" Misty asked, nipping at an earlobe. "Though we might not have time today. Maybe just a quick fuck then."

"Misty."

"Yeah?"

The Supreme shook her head but grinned, her own fingers tightening around the girl's. "Who said I wanted it to be quick, anyway?" She whispered, teasing.

Misty scrunched her nose as she fought a giggle. "Come on, I have a present."

"This wasn't it?"

"What? Oh, no." The necromancer laughed as she tugged the blonde into their home, closing the door behind her and pushing her against it to kiss her soundly, her fingers tangling in red hawk feathers. She pulled away after a breathless minute. "This isn't it either."

"It'd be enough for me." Cordelia breathed out, fixing her blouse as she watched Misty search around their home with black eyes.

"I'd put it on the bed, but Clyde was in here earlier and that little jerk hid it." The necromancer apologized.

"Little is an understatement."

Misty threw her a wry look and finally let out a little shout of triumph as she located what she'd been looking for. She turned, object behind her back. "Okay, close your eyes."

Cordelia grimaced but did as she was told, waiting. She felt the wild blonde move closer and she felt the weight of something on her shoulders. Without permission, she opened her eyes and gazed down at the shawl covering her body. "Misty-"

"I fixed it, Delia." The necromancer whispered excitedly.

"Constellations-?"

"Yeah, the tears were a little noticeable but I fixed them up with white thread and made stars and-" The wild blonde paused, besides herself with giddiness and she let out a little squeal of incoherence as she looked over her own work.

"It's wonderful." Cordelia took the girl by the jaw and brought her to her lips. "You're wonderful."

"It's the least I could do, since I ruined it."

"What did I tell you?" The Supreme let her fingers run up the younger blonde's taut stomach. "Power of resurgence."

OOOoooOOO

Cordelia Goode stood in the academy's ancestor room, hands folded neatly before her, with Madison and Zoe at her side standing tall as her new council.

Other girls sat around the salon, a dozen new students, dignified in their poses and silent underneath Myrtle's piercing gaze.

As for Misty, she stood behind the Supreme as Chancellor, head held high and blue-green eyes blazing.

The double doors opened and Kyle stepped through, hair combed back and in a night black three piece suit. "Ladies, the voodoo tribe."

Cordelia smiled widely as Queenie, Nan, and Luke entered, flanked by black girls and boys of various ages, all with their eyes wide as they took in the white walls and the paintings and the furniture.

"Welcome to the Coven."

Queenie smiled graciously.

The necromancer glanced sideways as Kyle sidled up to her side to lean in and whisper into her ear.

"Miss Fox leader."

Misty smiled softly, and passed her arm over his shoulder, squeezing tight. "Yeah, she is."

_**THE END**_

_**On another note, there's a Harry Potter AU, and a Hunger Games AU coming!**_


	4. Pre and Post fics

**I love this AU way too much not to write any more of it. So have a pre and post series of fics of the National Anthem timeline! Viva Tattoo Coven!**

**Rated T**

_**PRE NATIONAL ANTHEM**_

"Let me see."

Cordelia's hand came up in the infinite darkness to grab at an errant wrist. "I'd like it if you didn't." The voice across from her, faceless, let out a little grunt of discontent.

"Come on, please. It can't be that bad."

"You don't know much, do you."

"I know enough." The voice let out a light laugh, and she felt the girl across from her shift closer. "Please, let me see."

Cordelia let her wrist go, and her hands shot down to the bed to grasp at her sheets as the woman before her rested her fingers against the bottom of her jaw, tracing circles against the corner of her mouth with her thumb. She found solace in the comforting touch, and unconsciously pushed into her hand, her heart in her throat. The girl gave her a comforting hum.

She lifted the rag that covered the alchemist's eyes, damp against her scarred eyes yet harsh and gritty to the sensitive skin. Cordelia let out a little gasp, and the girl paused.

"Are ya-?"

"Just take it off. Quickly. Don't let it-"

She yelped as the girl yanked it off suddenly, and was instantly embraced by two strong arms, covered in soft "sorry"s and stammered words. She dug her nails into the girl's back as the pain seared behind her eyes, her dead eyes.

"I'm okay." She breathed out. "I'm okay."

Her head was tilted back by hesitant touches now, and she held her breath as the girl inspected her for what seemed like the longest time.

"It's not bad."

"Why do I feel like you're lying to me?" Cordelia laughed.

"I'm not. It gives ya...I don't know. It's beautiful, in a way."

"What color are my eyes?"

The girl paused. "What do ya mean?"

"What color are they?"

"A light blue. Really blue."

"Oh."

"They're pretty."

"They were brown. Almost black."

"That must have been mighty pretty too, then."

Cordelia let herself smile, despite the way her eyes burned as the skin around them crackled. "Could you, uh, give me my fold back?"

"Does it help you in anythin'?"

"What?"

The girl shifted on the bed. "Do ya need it? I think ya should let it stay off. Ya have nothin' to be ashamed of. You're beautiful."

Cordelia felt herself blush, and knew it was past her ears. "I, no. Mother doesn't like seeing them and-"

"Who cares?" She paused. "At least keep it off when you're with me. Otherwise ya look like an invalid, and that's not ya."

"You sound like a horrible influence."

"I try."

Cordelia tilted her head to the side, her fingers creeping up the sheets and grasping onto a knee. She ran her hand up to rest on a thigh. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Misty. Misty Day."

"How did they find you, Misty Day?"

"They didn't. I found them."

"You're brave. To join the Coven, I mean. And to come in here and demand to see my eyes."

"I've been told I'm rather stubborn." Misty was close to her now, her breath mingling with Cordelia's. "Miss Myrtle'd told me to meet everyone, but she was too busy to give me a tour. So here I am."

"Meeting everyone and demanding the impossible." Cordelia teased.

"Yeah."

"Can I, this is going to sound weird, but can I touch you?"

"It depends. What's your name?"

The older blonde let out a laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry, that didn't even occur to me. Look at me, with my manners. I'm Cordelia Foxx."

"That's pretty." Misty took her hands in hers. "Go ahead then, Miss Cordelia." The alchemist raised her fingers to find forearms, and she ran them lightly up to the girl's shoulders, her head tilted away as she let the palms of her hands do the work. Her neck was smooth, the muscles jumping beneath her touches, her jaw strong, cheekbones high.

"I'm blonde, if you're wonderin'. Darker than ya, but blonde nonetheless."

"That's good to know." Cordelia laughed lightly. "You're rather frizzy."

"Ya should see me in the rain." Misty suddenly took in a sharp breath. "I didn't mean it like that."

"It's okay." The older blonde smiled lightly. "I'd expect a few slips here and there."

"How did it happen, anyway?"

"What?"

"Your blindin'."

Cordelia paused. "It doesn't really matter."

"Somethin' illegal?"

"Something like that."

"Anythin' to do with the alcohol downstairs?" Misty laughed as Cordelia glanced at where she guessed she was, horrified. "That girl, Maddie? She told me already about the club. And that man was cleanin' glasses left and right in the kitchen. I come from the marsh, but I ain't completely stupid."

"So that's the accent then."

"I have an accent?"

Cordelia nodded, grinning.

"Anyway, it explains how ya guys can keep this huge place goin'. Speakesies. I've never been in a mansion before." She added softly.

"No? I've lived here most my life. The house runs in the, well, runs in the coven. I was about to say family, but we're far from a family."

"Your name isn't the same as your mama's. Why is that? Is it your daddy's?"

Cordelia bit her lip. She didn't speak, and instead held out her left hand for Misty to take.

"Oh. You're married."

"That's what they say."

Misty tilted her head at that, but didn't ask.

"That man you saw, cleaning the glasses? That's Hank. Hank Foxx."

"Huh."

Cordelia squirmed. "Yeah." She paused. "Not my finest hour."

"What do ya mean?"

The older blonde shook her head and stood shakily. "Doesn't matter." She reached for her cane and began tapping through her bedroom. "Come on, I'll give you the rest of the tour. I may be blind, but I can remember where everything is."

Misty stood quickly and crossed to her. "Let me help."

"I don't-"

"Hey. I get ya, you're tough and all, but I want to help. Let me." Misty murmured. Her hands were warm against Cordelia's, and the older blonde found herself without anything else to say. She held out her arm and Misty took it easily, tugging her towards the door. "Also you're real soft."

Cordelia blushed as she laughed. "Thanks. Just don't feel around my eyes too much."

"Because ya'd let me?"

Cordelia didn't answer.

"Ahm, I was told I'd sleep in, ah, Zoe's room? Where's that?"

"To your left. Past Madison and Kaylee's room."

"How many girls live here?"

"As students?" The older blonde paused. "With you here, five. Nan has to sleep by herself, she gets really bad migraines. She's a clairvoyant." She added. "I do have to warn you, Kyle likes to sleep with Zoe."

"Kyle?"

"He's our, well, mother calls him the coven's guard dog. He tends to be a little violent if you rub him the wrong way, but I assure you he's extremely nice."

Misty bit her lip. "And what do ya mean by 'sleep' with Zoe?"

"Oh, nothing like _that_. They're really close, and he can't stay too far away without getting really sad. That's all."

"You're sure."

"Yes Misty, I'm sure." Cordelia laughed lightly. "You should be glad you're on the farthest side of the house. Some people get up to things that...aren't really savory. And I'll have to ask you to stay away from the parties, when they happen. I don't let girls downstairs when they do. Or at least, I try not to let the girls downstairs. Now that I'm blind, they've taken to sneaking past my room."

"That's horrible."

"They're teenagers. They'll do what they want. And mother's not stopping them." The older blonde shrugged. "Here we are, your room." At Misty's astonished silence, she smiled. "I counted my steps."

"Thank ya." Misty replied.

"I think your bed will be the one closest to the window."

"Looks like."

Cordelia listened, her head tilted to the side, as Misty dropped what sounded like a bag in the farthest corner of the room. She heard her move back to her side, and goosebumped as strong fingers found her upper arm.

"Where do all these huge windows lead?"

"There's a balcony encircling the entire house. On both levels."

"Oh, that's nice." Misty breathed. "I have half a mind to eat out there."

"May I join you?"

She knew Misty'd turned to watch her. "Why?"

Cordelia laughed lightly. "If you don't want me to join you, just say so."

"No, sorry, I just-Won't they want ya eatin' with the girls?"

"Honestly, I'd like to feel sunlight on my face." She began to walk, cane ahead of her, Misty holding on tight to her hand.

"They don't let ya out?"

"Is that outrage in your voice? I'm not allowed to do much, my mother and Hank think that because I can't see, I don't need to have fresh air. Myrtle tries to get me out once in a while." She bit her lower lip. "I'm afraid to go down those stairs by myself, to be honest. And I'm afraid to ask the girls."

"Why?"

"They'd rat me out." At the sudden silence, she explained. "Fiona is very persuasive. And scary. When she asks you a question, you answer it. When she asks you to do something, you do it. She likes information, the girls give it." She shrugged half-heartedly. "Simple as that."

Misty squirmed besides her. "I'm startin' to think to think comin' here was a bad idea after all."

Cordelia held her tongue, and the wild blonde took that as enough of an answer.

"Where to then, Miss Cordelia?"

"Can you get me down the stairs?"

The older blonde led the swamp witch, or perhaps Misty led Cordelia, to the greenhouse, struggling to find her keys in her pockets and finally asking the newcomer to do it for her, listening as the padlock was unclicked and the door opened with a harsh squeak. Misty, with her hand at the dip in her back, let her go first, her cane swinging out as her hand trembled out to find the wall.

She found the light switch with some difficulty, and tilted her head as she turned it on, the lights above them, she knew, taking a little time to warm up. She heard Misty take in a sharp breath and she thought the girls must have gotten inside, somehow. Wrecked the place, like they wrecked everything else.

Her voice was tight. "Misty, what is it? Is there broken glass? I'd rather not step on it." There was no response and she couldn't feel the wild blonde by her side, no matter how big she made her hand motions. "Misty?"

"Ya trust me." Misty finally said, from somewhere in the back.

"Pardon?"

"Ya trust me. Somehow, ya do." The girl repeated quietly. "That's the only reason why you'd show me this place. Right?"

"When you're as blind as a table, you have to find someone to do things for you. Where are you?"

She heard a "sorry" and a rush of wind, and suddenly the wild blonde was at her arm again, her hand finding its apparently favorite spot down her back. She shivered. "Please don't leave like that."

"Why'd ya bring me here?"

"I do trust you. In a weird way. We just met but I trust you. More than anyone else here, at this point. It must be because I don't know you well enough yet." Cordelia replied with a light laugh, trying to diffuse the question with humor, unsure of herself. "The place is alright, then?"

"Of course. It's fuckin' beautiful Miss Delia."

The older blonde tilted her head at the nickname.

"Oh, sorry."

"No. No go ahead." She whispered. "I've just never heard it said with so much...-" She paused and shifted. "Could you find the chrysanthemums Kyle brought me last week? They must be dead by now, but I can probably bring them back. They don't bring me down here enough." She added in a grumble.

"Let me!"

Cordelia followed with her dead eyes as the girl hurried across the room in a cacophony of jingles and squeals of delight. Her voice was breathless, hopeful. "You're an alchemist?"

"What? Oh no. Miss Delia, don't slump your shoulders like that. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let ya think I was. No, I, uh-" Misty moved back, flowers in hand. She put them down on the island in the middle and gently tugged on Cordelia's wrist until she followed, finally placing the palms of her hands against the cool wood. "I'm, ah, Myrtle called it necromancy."

"Oh Jesus Christ almighty, you're joking."

"I, no?"

Cordelia felt Misty shrink into herself, and she immediately regretted her words. "I just, you're extremely powerful, Misty. I don't think there's much I can teach you."

"Are ya kiddin' me? I have no idea what I'm doin'."

The older blonde held her hand out into the air, and Misty took it firmly. She brought the swamp witch to her, leaving but a few inches between them. "You have to be careful."

"Miss Delia?"

"You're powerful. Don't let yourself get caught up in the coven."

"Miss Delia-"

Cordelia pushed her away and turned back to her plants, as if she hadn't said anything, and Misty took the hint after a few tries at coaxing the alchemist back out. She lifted her hand and played with the flower's dying leaves, feeling the soul there, but Cordelia knew that the girl's eyes were fixed on her as their fingers brushed.

"Can I, then?"

"Sure."

Misty let her hand rest on Cordelia's shoulder in a show of thanks and the alchemist moved sideways, leaving her space.

"Don't leave?"

"Excuse me?"

"I, don't go too far." Misty blushed.

"It's not like I can." Cordelia smiled into the darkness, and retreated her steps, her thigh brushing up against the necromancer's. "Show me what you can do."

"Miss Delia?"

"Don't take it literally, Misty."

She felt the wild blonde shift, and knew she was nodding.

It was like the room had suddenly turned frigid, and yet it was too warm at the same time and Cordelia felt like crawling out of her skin. But as soon as it had started, it was over, and Misty was tugging her hands out to touch the chrysanthemums, full of life.

"Misty-" The alchemist laughed. "That's amazing."

Misty let her chin rest on the older blonde's shoulder, her hands still hovering above the headmistress's. Her voice was soft, and it sent a shiver down Cordelia's spine. "Does this conclude the tour?"

OOOoooOOO

"I really don't want to."

"Please. Please do."

"Misty-"

"It might have worked!" The necromancer said, voice wavering above her. Cordelia frowned, her eyes still closed, the darkness invading her.

"I don't think it did. Is it morning outside?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I'd have seen it behind my eyelids. The sun." The alchemist found Misty's knee in the sheets and turned away, burying her face in her pillows. "It didn't work."

"At least open your eyes."

"Misty. It didn't. Work."

The wild blonde let out a torn sigh, full of anguish and Cordelia couldn't help the tears from running down her cheeks. "Please leave."

"Miss Delia-"

The alchemist pushed at her knee insistently, silently begging her to get out, her pushes becoming harsher the longer Misty hovered above her.  
She felt the bed dip and suddenly strong arms were pulling her in. Her forehead found a sharp collarbone and her hands ran the expense of Misty's ribs as she embraced the younger witch back, crying earnestly now, her dead eyes seeing nothing.

"I'm so sorry." Misty whispered into her ear. "I tried I swear to ya I tried and there's nothin' I can do. What kind of shit necromancer am I if I can't even do this."

Cordelia didn't answer, burying herself deeper into the wild blonde. She heard another apology tumble from between Misty's lips and she so wanted to snap up and tell her to stop but she couldn't find the strength to. She was letting herself grieve, something she hadn't done since the incident, something she'd pushed back to be done later and now she couldn't stop.

She didn't pull away as Misty began kissing her forehead, down to her cheeks, lips full of grief as she too started to cry, for the alchemist or for herself, Cordelia didn't exactly know. Her breath was hot against her ear as she pulled her in tighter, sobs wrenched out of both of them.

Misty stopped crying long before Cordelia, but she kept speaking to her, soft words that didn't make much sense to the older blonde, punctuated by kisses to bare skin. She didn't pull away. She didn't want to. Now or ever.

She awoke hours later, dizzy, eyes dry, cheeks wet. She had no idea at how long she'd been out, all she was sure of was the warmth surrounding her.

_Misty._

She didn't move, too afraid to wake the necromancer, too afraid to lose the death grip the girl had on her waist, her nails digging into her sides whenever she breathed in. She let her own arms tighten around the wild blonde, and instantly felt her shift.

"No, no no. No." Cordelia found herself stammering, her eyes shut tight as she pulled Misty impossibly closer, unwilling to let go.

"Delia-?"

"Shh, no, go back to sleep. Please." Was she begging?

"What time-"

"It doesn't matter. Please, close your eyes. It doesn't matter. Don't leave me."

Blue-green met cloudy blue and Misty scooted down to rest her forehead on Cordelia's. "I wouldn't dream of it." She blinked a few times, fatigue getting to her, but smile lazily as the alchemist nodded quickly. She reassured the older blonde with a quick nuzzle and tuckered down again, falling back asleep quickly, her breathing measured against Cordelia's chest.

Cordelia just wanted to sleep. And she did best with Misty by her side, and they must have spent the entire day locked up in her room because soon enough someone was banging on the door angrily, asking to be let in.

She found herself ignoring it, closing her eyes and her ears against the onslaught as Misty stiffened by her side, her fingers finding the alchemist's in the short expense of bed sheets between them.

"Should I-?"

"No. No." The older blonde shook her head wildly. "Don't mind it. Don't mind it, don't mind it it doesn't matter. It never did. Let him get angry and let him get tired he'll leave."

Misty nodded with some difficulty, wincing every time Hank Foxx's voice bellowed, punctuated by "baby"s and "honey"s and she wanted to open the door and tell him to stuff it but she didn't move, too afraid to lose Cordelia if she did, as fragile as she was.

The alchemist was right. It took him a good five minutes, but finally he gave up, muttering to a girl who passed by that his wife must have locked the door behind her, that he'd forgotten his somewhere, and Cordelia visibly softened in Misty's arms, eyes still closed, shrouded in eternal darkness.

"Ya okay?"

"Am I ever?"

OOOoooOOO

"Miss Delia, please."

"I-"

"You won't know until you've tried, darling girl."

Myrtle Snow's voice was soft, airy, and Cordelia found herself doing what she was told.

She slowly opened her eyes, the skin around them crackling and the air around her too warm. It was blurry. It was blurry but there was light and suddenly there were shapes and shadows and a wild head of hair.

Two of them.

"Myrtle-!" She coughed out, eyes now wide as she struggled to see.

But she was _seeing_.

Strong hands grabbed hers and pulled until she sat up, mouth hanging open as she struggled to breathe as her hearing went out and as she lost the feeling at the tip of her fingers. But goddammit she was seeing and she wanted to cry but she was afraid to hurt her new eyes if she did.  
Myrtle was the same, she hadn't changed. The light reflected on her cat eye glasses and she was smiling wider than Cordelia'd ever seen her smile.

But it was the vision at the bottom of the bed that made her pause.

"M-Misty?"

The wild blonde grinned, scrambling up to hover above Cordelia, hands moving through the space between them gingerly, afraid to hurt her. Her blue-green eyes were full of life and sparks and the alchemist began to laugh lightly.

"You're, holy shit you're real."

"Miss Delia?"

"I'd begun to think you were a figment of my imagination."

"I'm very real." Misty smiled, taking the woman's hands in hers.

Myrtle breathed out. "It worked. By the gods it worked. I must let the Coven know!" And she was gone. In a flash of billowy skirts, she was gone, and she left Misty alone with Cordelia.

"You're real." Cordelia smiled up at the girl, letting her hands rest on strong thighs. "You're really here and I didn't go crazy and you-you saved me. My eyes. You saved my eyes."

Misty tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Wrong. Ya did go a little batshit, and Myrtle did all the work. I just helped her bring the nerves back. That was me."

"Thank you. I don't know what else to say but that and even then that's far from enough."

The necromancer shook her head. "I'm just doin' what I can."

"What you can for what?"

Misty tilted her head to the side but didn't answer, letting her thumbs trace the outline of Cordelia's eyes instead. "Ya were right, Miss Delia. Your eyes are almost black."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. They're beautiful."

OOOoooOOO

Misty tugged Cordelia down to the greenhouse whenever she could now, raced her down the stairs even through incessant glares from the others living in the academy.

Cordelia loved every moment of it, the running, the squeals the girl emitted when she caught up, the way she looked when she was in her greenhouse, their greenhouse now. She'd known a voice like hers belonged to quite the beauty but she'd never thought it belonged to a goddess.

And she never thought she'd fall down to her knees and pray.

_**POST NATIONAL ANTHEM**_

Cordelia knew by the way that Misty tightened her shawl around her shoulders and by the way she shifted beneath it, by the way she took in small breaths, that she'd gotten another inking done. The necromancer was suffering through dinner, she could tell that too. With a quick glance at Myrtle and the girls, she excused both herself and the wild blonde and led Misty up the stairs despite her soft bouts of disapproval.

She pushed Misty down to sit on their bed and watched her with dark eyes as she closed their bedroom door.

"Where is it?"

"Where's what?"

"Don't try to fool me, Misty Day, I know you too well."

The wild blonde bit her lower lip. "You're not angry?"

"God no. At least now I know where you were all morning." Cordelia leaned in to kiss her deeply. "Where is it?" She watched as Misty painfully removed her shirt and threw it across the room venomously before dropping down onto the mattress face down, hackles raised, defeated.

The Supreme's breath caught in her throat and she couldn't help but climb up onto the bed next to her lover and straddle her. Misty turned so she could watch her from over her shoulder, blue-green eyes narrowed as she waited for a verdict.

Cordelia's cold fingers brought respite to her burning skin and she couldn't help the hiss that left her lungs. The older blonde traced up her spine, counting each scale and climbing up the tail that disappeared by Misty's ear.

"It's beautiful." She choked out.

"Ya mean it?"

The Supreme nodded with some difficulty as she raked her nails down the girl's tattoo, making her gasp out. She leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Yes."

It'd been almost a month and Cordelia was still enamored with the girl's newest markings, pausing to bite at the alligator's tail that finished by her jaw whenever she could. She remembered how many scales it had but she always counted them, late at night when the rest of the household was asleep and when Misty's eyes were closing despite her fighting them not to.

But the necromancer's blue-green eyes were open now as she looked down at the Supreme between her legs, a wide grin on the older blonde's face. Misty raised an eyebrow. "I can trust ya?"

"It depends. You sure you want this to be your last?"

"Yeah. Yeah I'm sure. Just be careful with me."

"You're a baby, Misty Day."

Misty feigned being wounded by her words, but she sobered as Cordelia raised the needle in her hands to her left hipbone. "It hurts the most on bones." She reminded the woman gently. "So ignore me if I start thrashin'."

"If you thrash, I won't be able to finish."

"I'll do my best."

Cordelia kissed the skin below her navel and began to work on the girl's last tattoo.

She was done an hour later, her hands spotted red held above her head as Misty kissed her deeply, having risen up from her place against their pillows. She pulled away momentarily, hovering above the necromancer. She let her eyes rake over her work and the girl's other markings. Her hands, her arms, her leg. "You need to get cleaned up."

"I'd rather kiss ya until we're both numb."

"Don't make me pinch you."

Misty grinned into their kiss and pushed the Supreme away before she could do as she'd threatened. She glanced down at herself and pressed her fingers to where Cordelia had marked her with her own name, her cursive handwriting neat.

Cordelia seemed to speak her thoughts. "You're mine, Chancellor Day."  
The necromancer nodded heavily and kissed her Supreme.

OOOoooOOO

Madison's grip was tight on Zoe, but that was normal. The dirty blonde slept fitfully on her best days, racked with nightmares that left her reeling, but the taller girl was always there to hold her through the worst of it as Kyle rubbed smooth circles into her back, cooing himself.

He wasn't there now, having chosen to skip their afternoon nap to spend his time with Myrtle and the Coven's pets.

Madison's hazel eyes were open, her fingers wiping at the tears that'd fallen down her face as Zoe sighed sadly above her. She laughed bitterly. "I'm sorry. I should really get my own room." She wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"No. No you shouldn't. You're fine Madison." Zoe assured her, glancing down. "You just need some time to heal."

"Since when does 'some time' equal more than a month?" The dirty blonde snapped. She closed her eyes. "Sorry."

Zoe didn't reply as she let her nails rake patterns into the girl's bare shoulder. Madison let out a rather audible sigh and she climbed up the bed to face the younger blonde properly. She let her fingers tangle in Zoe's pigtails before pulling on them so that the girl shifted her head down.

"I mean it. I'm sorry."

Zoe smiled softly. "I know you are. You need to stop apologizing. A year isn't enough to get rid of ten years of horror, Madison. I get that."

"Why aren't you like me?" The dirty blonde asked forcefully. "Why aren't you thrashing in your sleep and seeing ghosts everywhere? Why are you so at peace?"

"I made my own peace." The younger girl explained. "And I wasn't at the academy during Fiona's reign as long as you were. I was there for what, six months? She practically took you in as a kid. I lived there and I got out of there. Simple as that."

"I should have left when you did. When Miss Cordelia did."

"But you didn't. And that's what makes you, you." Zoe replied quietly. "I wouldn't have you any other way." She let her forehead dip down against Madison's. "You're perfect the way you are, okay? Never doubt that."

"I love you."

The younger blonde nodded. "I love you too."

Madison's breath caught in her throat. "I mean it, Zoe. I love you."

Zoe smiled. "I mean it too, silly."

The dirty blonde nodded heavily. She took a sharp breath, meaning to speak again, but chose against it and instead leaned in and pressed her lips to Zoe's.

It was calculated, measured, almost lazy in form, but Zoe's fingers tightened around her back and Madison put all she could into it.

They broke apart, their breathing no more than what it'd been before, and Madison blushed as she nuzzled into Zoe's neck.

"You're about to apologize, I can feel it." The younger blonde laughed lightly.

"I didn't mean to."

"I don't mind."

"You don't?"

Dark hazel eyes met light ones. "I love you, Madison Montgomery, and yeah, it's complicated, all of this is. You, me, and Kyle." She paused to take a breath. "But you know you can always come to me, with whatever you need. It doesn't have to be sexual. It's not with Kyle. It never has been. I don't expect it, or want it, to be." She shrugged. "I don't remember what Misty called it. But terms don't really matter."

Madison cocked her head to the side.

"All I know is that I love you both, and that's all there is to it. Kissing is just," She searched her words. "Look, it doesn't matter. Do what you need to do. I love all of it."

The dirty blonde fixed her. "I don't think I get what you're saying."

"I don't think I know what I'm saying, to be honest." Zoe shook her head, laughing. "If you like kissing me, then go ahead. I like it."

"I don't want you to think I'm expecting anything else." Madison interrupted. "I don't want anything else."

"You just want contact. Affirmation of some sorts, that you're wanted." The younger girl watched as the dirty blonde nodded slowly. "And I want to give that to you."

Madison looked away, blushing. "Thank you, Zoe."

"Sleep, alright? You need it."

Madison burrowed into her neck, placed a small kiss there, and drifted off moments later.

OOOoooOOO

"Delia come on."

Cordelia glanced over her shoulder at Misty Day, sprawled on her stomach with her face down into the mattress. She grinned as she shook her head. "A few minutes, I swear to you."

"That's what ya said half an hour ago." Misty crawled to the edge of the bed to peer down at her lover sitting on the floor, paper and string crowded against her.

"It'll take as long as it needs to take." Cordelia bit her lower lip. "I want this to be perfect."

The necromancer rolled over onto her back, defeated. She gazed at the older blonde upside down, eyebrows raised. "I know ya get crazy durin' holiday season, but jesus, I didn't think it could be worse than Halloween."

"Misty."

The wild blonde glanced at Cordelia, and seeing her dejected look, flipped back onto her stomach and scrambled to sit besides the alchemist. "I didn't mean it like that. You're doin' a great job. And I'd help if ya hadn't banished me from helpin'. Ya know that."

Cordelia tugged away from her touch. "I just want them to be happy."  
But Misty insisted, burying herself against her neck. "And they are, Delia, they so are. Ya never have to worry about that."

The alchemist shifted against her to look down at the necromancer. "You think so?"

"I know so." Misty kissed her softly, her fingers finding their way into blonde strands. "I know it and ya know it, stop thinkin' they're not happy. They're the happiest they've ever been."

"But you're sure."

"Oh my god Cordelia."

Across and down the hall, Madison was busy fluffing her pillow, her dark hazel eyes riveted on Zoe as she did so. The younger blonde glanced up from her book, feeling the incessant gaze on her.

"What are you thinking about?"

"It's Christmas Eve."

"Yeah?"

"And there's a tree and stockings and cookies out for Santa Claus. This is surreal."

Zoe frowned. "I don't understand."

Madison climbed up onto the bed besides the girl and hovered up above her. "I've never had a Christmas. Not a proper one, anyway."

"Oh, Madison..."

"I never thought I'd have one in the academy, to be honest. Not with how it was run." The dirty blonde continued, tucking down besides Zoe. "I'm so afraid that the others won't like my presents, either. I'm rich, but that doesn't mean that I know what people like."

"Your ideas come from your heart, that's all there is to it."

Madison wriggled her nose, but didn't add anything else. Kyle entered the room, throwing them a big grin as he crossed to the bed.

"I put presents underneath tree. I hope you like."

Zoe pressed a kiss to his cheek and he burrowed on top of them horizontally. Madison _oomf_ed beneath him, supressing a giggle as he moved around to make himself comfortable. He glanced up at them, dark eyes bright. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Kyle."

**In the end, the rest of the council all received tattoos. Zoe had the initials of all those that she loved written on the inside of her wrist, and Kyle had his four-leaf clover drawn again, brighter and with the word "coven" written underneath. Madison opted for something more modest, hawk wings sprouting from her shoulder blades with the feathers running down her ribs and spine and ending at her wrists. She'd taken to wearing backless dresses to her premieres, she loved watching the crowds go crazy. The girls had even gotten Myrtle to cede, and the redhead had chosen a delicate dove for the skin between her thumb and forefinger, to be hidden by her gloves. True to her word, Misty didn't go past the six she had, while Cordelia cherished the words on her side.**

**(Misty Day's consist of her RISE knuckle tattoos, Benjamin Franklin's political cartoon "Join or Die" on her lower left arm, bear claw marks drawn around her upper right arm, the alligator crawling down her back with its tail ending on her neck, Cordelia's name on her hipbone, and the words "Till human voices wake us and we drown" down the side of her right thigh.)**


End file.
